STEELERS NEWS When Dan Moore Jr. rejoins the Steelers in 2024, Gerry Dulac says the team will still show him how much they care.
Over the past three seasons, one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ weaker points has been their offensive line. Through the NFL Draft and free agency, the organization has gradually strengthened the team, but much work remains. The two positions that need to be rectified before 2024 are left tackle and center. According to Gerry Dulac, the Steelers have both of their starting tackles on the roster, so they should be in a good position to select one of the elite tackles in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, they may decide against doing so.
The Steelers will stick with their starting tackles.
In 2023, Pittsburgh started three players at tackle. Dan Moore Jr. played left tackle in all 16 of his game starts. Following Chukwuma Okorafor’s benching, who had started the first seven games of the season at right tackle, Broderick Jones started 11 games, one at left tackle and ten at right tackle. Not a single player truly jumped out. Moore Jr. was rated as one of the worst left tackles in the league; Jones had some difficulties as a rookie, especially when it came to pass protection, but he proved he could be a valuable Pittsburgh starter; Okorafor has already been cut.
When Dulac was questioned about Spencer Anderson’s chances to play in 2024 during his conversation on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he talked about the future of the tackle positions.
Not in this year. Their two starting tackles are present. However, nothing is completely out of the question.”
Dulac is talking about Moore Jr. and Jones, the two starting tackles. Given that Jones was selected in the first round by the organization in 2023, it is obvious that he will start in 2024, albeit it is uncertain where in the lineup he would start. After Okorafor was benched, he was selected as a left tackle out of Georgia but was eventually changed to right tackle. Jones’ side of the line of play in 2024 has already been mentioned by head coach Mike Tomlin, and the acquisition of another tackle by the Steelers may have an impact on that.
The Steelers are presently slated to select a tackle, center, or cornerback with the 20th overall choice in the 2024 NFL Draft. It will be fascinating to watch if they select a tackle in the first round and if that tackle is limited to playing on one side of the line. Fans should expect Jones to return to his natural position on the left side if they choose a right tackle.
Another option for the Steelers would be to sign a tackle in free agency. The Steelers might target a number of good, moderately priced right tackles that are expected to become available in March. Candidates to watch out for include Jermaine Eluemunor, who was a member of the Las.
The Steelers do have some in-house possibilities to replace Moore Jr. as well, as they drafted Anderson in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He was a very adaptable player who attended Maryland for his college career, playing all over the offensive line. In fact, Anderson started nine games at right tackle in 2021. Fans shouldn’t be startled if Anderson is given a realistic chance to start at right tackle in 2024 while Jones returns to the left side of the field. The Steelers have expressed their admiration for Anderson’s versatility.
