OL Trainer Believes Dan Moore Jr. Has Exceeded Expectations as Fourth-Round Pick

Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. has had an up-and-down start to his career.  At one moment, he’ll shut down Myles Garrett. And then on other occasions, he’s a complete turnstile.

Moore was one of the worst pass-blocking offensive tackles in the league last year, allowing eight sacks, which was tied for eighth-most in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Moore’s PFF pass-blocking grade was 39.7, which ranked as the sixth-lowest in the league.

Despite the subpar play, Moore’s trainer  — offensive line guru Duke Manyweather — disagrees with the notion that Moore is one of the worst offensive tackles in the league.

“You know Dan is one of those guys. You know he was a fourth-round pick a couple of years ago and every year people are looking to replace him. There’s something to be said about the way Dan goes about his business. The way he prepares and the way he’s gotten better every single year,” Manyweather said on the Chipped Ham and Football podcast with Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“I think the coaching staff and the front office respects that. What you are seeing is a guy who has started for three years or so and has turned into a really solid football player.”

Moore earned a $740,000 bonus as part of the NFL’s performance-based pay distribution this offseason. The payments are based on a formula that compares playing time to salary. Moore also received a Proven Performance Escalator raise, which rewards young players that play significant amounts in their first three seasons.

The PPE program has three levels, the highest if a player is selected as a Pro Bowler, the second if they play at least 55% of the team’s offensive or defensive snaps in each of their first three seasons, and thirdly if they play over 35% of the team’s offensive or defensive snaps in two of their first three seasons.

Moore played over 85% of the Steelers’ offensive snaps in each of his first three seasons (and every single snap in 2022), making him a level two PPE player. That has been known since a little bit before the end of the 2023 season.

“Does he have things that he needs to continue to develop and clean up? Absolutely, most players do. I think that fans often, they don’t know what good and quality starters are in terms of the difference between an elite guy and a good starter,” Manyweather said.

“You could make the argument that Dan Moore has kinda exceeded expectations in terms of where he was drafted.”

The Steelers’ starting left tackle since he was a rookie in 2021, Moore is entering the final season of his contract. The Steelers have committed to moving 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones to left tackle eventually, but after Moore held him off in training camp in 2023, and the Steelers released Okorafor as the top backup at right tackle, their near future at left tackle still seems uncertain.

Manyweather says Moore has been crushing it this offseason.

“I think this offseason so far, and he still has his offseason program in the summer block, but it’s been his best,” he said of Moore. “Really mature in terms of the way his body’s looking right now. He’s always worked really hard, but I just see a different sense of urgency in the way he moves and just like some of the grown-man strength is coming… I’d like to see him take another leap and be a little more consistent in his pass protection and anchoring.”