If the Kansas City Chiefs are sorting through the free-agent cupboards for potential candidates for a new left tackle, they're going to be left wanting. The pickings are slim among available veterans, as teams simply don't let decent starting options hit the open market. It's hard enough for any team to find two decent players to serve as bookends.
That's bad news for the Chiefs, who could use someone to step in on the left side. Kingsley Suamataia is now being referenced more as a future guard than an answer at tackle. Wanya Morris profiles best as a swing tackle through two seasons. Joe Thuney belongs at left guard. Beyond that, the internal choices are Ethan Driskell and Jason Godrick.
The Chiefs could draft someone, but so far, the swing-and-misses suffered on Morris, Darian Kinnard, Lucas Niang, and (potentially) Suamataia might make them reticent to pin all their hopes on a rookie. Even if they draft another prospect, a veteran addition is likely, which brings us back to the barren cupboards.
While there are other options, one younger player hitting the market is Dan Moore Jr., who is set to hit free agency after starting for the last four seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former fourth-round pick (2021) out of Texas A&M has started 66 games—making him a young, reliable candidate.
Why would Pittsburgh let Moore hit the market? What's the ceiling for Moore? And if the Chiefs were interested, what would the market dictate? We reached out to Steelers expert Tommy Jaggi of Stilll Curtain to tell us all about Moore and his potential in the free agent market.
So few starting offensive left tackles are available on the open market. Will the Steelers let him get there?
As much as the Steelers would love to have the added depth and security on the offensive line, keeping Dan Moore Jr. in Pittsburgh won't be high on the priority list. Moore is coming off his best season in 2024, but his performance faltered as the season went on. Meanwhile, the Steelers spent back-to-back first-round picks on Broderick Jones (2023) and Troy Fautanu (2024) in the NFL Draft.
Jones dealt with inconsistencies over his first two seasons, while Fautanu landed on season-ending IR after Week 1 of the 2024 season. Still, with the investments Pittsburgh made at tackle, they can't justify keeping Moore around on a new contract in 2025.
What does he offer teams as a potential starter on the market?
If you're a team looking for a long-term upgrade at offensive tackle, Dan Moore Jr. won't be the best bet. Though he possesses the size and athletic profile teams covet at the position, his strides have been minimal since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
However, if you're a desperate team looking for a stop-gap starter at left tackle, you could do far worse. Moore has started all 66 NFL games he has played since entering the league, and he's still just 26 years old.
Unfortunately, Moore isn't an ideal swing tackle or right tackle. The Texas A&M product has been almost exclusively a left tackle since college. As a result, it was Broderick Jones—not Dan Moore Jr.—who was forced to move to right tackle in 2023 when Chukwuma Okorafor was in the doghouse.
What do you project his market will be?
Because of his experience, youth, and excellent health over the years, there will be a market for Dan Moore Jr. Spotrac projects a market value of $12.6 million per season in average annual earnings. This number sounds steep for a low-level starting offensive tackle, but Moore comes at a premium position, and his best football is still ahead of him. Because teams may not be sold on Moore as a long-term option, his new money average could come in lower than this on his next deal in free agency.
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