The Pittsburgh Steelers have definitive holes that must be filled in the 2024 NFL Draft. Omar Khan found a top-flight inside linebacker in free agency and paid Patrick Queen the biggest free agent contract in franchise history. He also found an unapologetically physical safety in DeShon Elliott, who famously cracked Patrick Mahomes' helmet last season to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick. Khan also made headlines by trading in Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph for Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
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Steelers' newest safety DeShon Elliott shattered Patrick Mahomes' helmet in a massive collision in 2023.
93.7 The Fan's Sports Director Jeff Hathhorn joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller to discuss who the Steelers might select with the 20th pick overall. Amarius Mims, the tackle prospect from the Georgia Bulldogs, is a name associated with the Steelers during many mock drafts. He visited with the organization on Wednesday. Hathhorn could not hide his cynicism about how Mike Tomlin and Pat Meyer would handle any tackle prospect when Andrew Fillipponi asked him about the possibility of the Steelers taking a tackle in the first round.
"So they can sit behind Dan Moore?," Hathhorn quipped. "I think if tackle falls there, absolutely. I always get wary this time of year about smokescreens and they really want JPJ [Jackson Powers-Johnson]. It just makes too much sense. He played at a high level on a successful team at a position of need."
The Steelers selected Dan Moore Jr. in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Over the last three seasons, he has started 49 of the previous 50 games at left tackle. This is an impressive feat on the surface, but when you look deeper, the achievement is dubious. The 2021 offensive line might be the worst the Steelers have fielded since they hired Chuck Noll.
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Steelers offensive tackles Dan Moore Jr. (#65) and Broderick Jones (#77) practice against each other during the team's 2023 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
During his three years as a starter, Moore has been consistently named as one of the worst starting tackles in the NFL. Pittsburgh drafted Broderick Jones in the first round to replace him, and then refused to insert Jones into the lineup until Moore missed the first matchup against the Baltimore Ravens during the 2023 season. Jones clearly demonstrated he was ready to take over with his performance in the Ravens game.
Tomlin, Meyer, and Matt Canada decided instead to put Jones back on the bench for another two games. Chukwuma Okorafor spouted off during the Jacksonville Jaguars game, and the rookie found his way onto the field at right tackle. Tomlin justified the move to play him out of position by disparaging Moore's ability to play on the right side.
“Honestly, he’s significantly better at left (tackle) than he is at right,” Head Coach Mike Tomlin said about Moore on November 7th.
Spencer Anderson, the Steelers' seventh-round draft pick in 2023, has been rumored to be an option at right tackle that intrigues the coaching staff. According to reports, he made a big impression on the practice field last season. Either Khan and Andy Weidl found a hidden gem, or Moore is really that bad on the opposite side. NFL Draft experts seem to believe the latter, which is why the Steelers have been associated with nearly every one of the top tackle prospects in the draft with the 20th pick.
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan Can No Longer Tolerate Draft Picks Playing Out Of Position
The Steelers have been experimenting with offensive linemen for several seasons now. They played Kevin Dotson out of position at left guard and gave him away to the Los Angeles Rams, who moved him back to right guard. Dotson immediately became a top player at the position and signed a three-year, $48 million extension after an outstanding 2023 season. The disastrous Kendrick Green experiment at center lasted less than a season.
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Steelers' Dan Moore Jr. comes out of the tunnel for the start of the game.
Moore is entering the fourth year of his rookie contract, and it would be tough to imagine a scenario in which he does not make the roster in 2024. The Steelers' best-case scenario might be that he proves he can be a viable swing tackle by demonstrating improvement on the right side. Ideally, he will be backing up a rookie like Mims or JC Latham from the Alabama Crimson Tide, with Jones settling in on the left side where he belongs.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Should the Steelers stop experimenting with draft picks playing out of position? Please comment below or on my Twitter/X: @thebubbasq.
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