It’s official. The Pittsburgh Steelers will have a new starting left tackle in 2025. The team’s starting left tackle the past four years, Dan Moore Jr., agreed to a four-year, $82 million contract with the Tennessee Titans on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported news of the contract. Rapoport added Moore will receive $50 million guaranteed and $30 million in the first season of the deal.
Typically, fans experience disappointment when their NFL team loses a starting left tackle in free agency. But there was more shock than discouragement with the news of Moore heading to Tennessee on a big deal.
“If Dan Moore Jr. had a nickel for every time a Steelers fan tweeted that he should be replaced, he would have $82 million,” wrote The Score’s Daniel Valente.
“Honestly, happy for him.”
“Dan Moore gave up 12 sacks last year and is gonna get paid like a top tackle,” tweeted a Pittsburgh fan.
According to Spotrac, Moore’s average annual salary is ranked tied for seventh-highest among NFL left tackles as of March 10.
With his new contract, Moore will earn an average annual salary of $20.5 million.
“You paid WHAT to Dan Moore?!” Another X (formerly Twitter) user asked.
Based on the Pro Football Focus player grades, Moore improved during the 2024 campaign. But like many Steelers players, Moore finished the 2024 regular season poorly.
The veteran left tackle allowed six sacks in the last six games.
Dan Moore Jr. Signs Major Contract With Tennessee Titans
It will surely change because there’s a long way to go in NFL free agency. Contracts don’t even become official until 4 pm ET on Wednesday, March 12.
But two hours into the league’s legal tampering period, no NFL free agent had agreed to a deal containing more money than Moore.
Steelers fans on social media had a hard time believing Moore received such a lucrative free agency deal.
“Dan Moore $82M contract after being the worst tackle I’ve seen for 4 years,” tweeted a Steelers fan.
“Respectfully what did the Titans see in Dan Moore that made them think he is worth 30 mil a year,” asked another Steelers fan on X.
NFL reporters were also surprised by the amount of money included in Moore’s new deal.
“The Titans paid Dan Moore what,” tweeted Jaguars on SI’s John Shipley.
In 2024, PFF ranked Moore 34th among the 58 offensive tackles who played at least 50% of his team’s offensive snaps. That was an improvement from being ranked 50th out of 56 offensive tackles in the same category during 2023.
Steelers’ Broderick Jones Set to Replace Dan Moore
Moore showed signs of improvement. But the Steelers arguably continued to start Moore for four years because they didn’t have any better options to make their offensive line better.
The Steelers drafted Broderick Jones in the first round during 2023. But Jones was unable to supplant Moore at left tackle for two years.
Over 2023 and 2024, Jones started 25 games at right tackle and two contests at left tackle. He posted even worse PFF player grades than Moore.
But without Moore on the roster in 2025, the Steelers are expected to switch Jones to left tackle on a full-time basis. 2024 first-round pick Troy Fautanu, who spent most of last season injured, is likely to start at right tackle.
The Steelers drafted Moore in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. As first-round picks, Jones and Fautanu have a lot more upside than Moore possesses.
But that’s only if they live up to their expectations.
While a lot of Steelers fans poked fun at the Titans signing Moore to a massive deal, other fans and insiders congratulated the left tackle for his big pay day.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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