Tennessee Titans signing of Dan Moore viewed as one of the riskiest deals in free agency

[ASFN Admin]

The Tennessee Titans made a few moves at the start of the NFL free agency period to retool their offensive line. That was clearly a focus heading into this offseason after the 2024 disaster.

Offensive tackle Dan Moore was arguably the top tackle prospect available, and Tennessee moved quickly to secure him. But this move does come with some risk. Moore is an experienced left tackle who has improved every season since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, yet he remains outside the top tier at the position and wasn’t a primary focus for the Steelers entering the offseason.

Kevin Patra at NFL.com has some questions about the signing and has rated it as one of the riskiest moves in free agency at the end of the first week.

Tennessee Titans: OT Dan Moore Jr. - Age: 26​

CONTRACT: Four years, $82 million with $50 million guaranteed and $30 million in Year 1.

I'd like to trust offensive line guru Bill Callahan can make anything work, but with the Titans coming off a woeful 2024 campaign up front, they responded by making Moore a top-10 offensive tackle by salary. Tennessee is paying $20.5 million annually over four years for a man who Steelers fans wanted to run out of town for years. There is something to be said for the fact that Pittsburgh always turned back to Moore in times of need, and his durability is not in question. But we currently live in a world where Dan Moore makes more than Lane Johnson ($20 million per year). That's livin' in The Upside Down. The Moore signing makes the Ravens locking up Stanley for $20 million per year even better.

The addition should flip JC Latham to his more natural right tackle spot after a roller-coaster year on the left side. Last season, the Titans were pitiful at right tackle, a hole they could never seem to plug. The Moore signing at least puts a plan in place to stop the gushing flow off the edge. The Titans also added an upgrade with Kevin Zeitler at guard. The 35-year-old was solid in Detroit but began to break down late, as aging linemen often do. This is a one-year band-aid in Tennessee.

Back to Moore, who is coming off his best season but still allowed 12 sacks and 41 QB pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Sure, the sacks came with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, two signal-callers prone to invite pressure, but Moore is not yet a trusty $20 million rock. On the plus side, he's still just 26 years old and does have the size and profile to improve. The Titans are betting Callahan can aid that development. I just wish the bet wasn’t so big.

The addition of Moore should be a massive upgrade over Nicholas Petit-Frere along the offensive line. While there is some risk involved with this signing, there is no way that the Titans can enter 2025 with the same line construction as 2024. Right tackle was a cavern that could not be filled by any player on the roster and it had a negative impact on the offense all season.

Moore may not be a top-tier offensive tackle, but he is still young and has shown the desire and work ethic to continue to improve throughout his career.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans signing of Dan Moore viewed as a risky deals

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