The biggest splash the Tennessee Titans have made in free agency so far was giving former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. a massive four-year, $82 million contract. While he does fill a huge need for the Titans, many fans thought the team overpaid him.
According to Pro Football Focus , Moore gave up 12 sacks last season, which was among the worst for a tackle in the NFL. That said, Tennessee clearly saw something in him and they have one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL in Bill Callahan.
Moore has heard a lot of the noise and he's eager to prove the critics wrong.
"Obviously I want to exceed expectations," Moore said Thursday, via TennesseeTitans.com. "But it's not only about proving the team right, it's about proving myself right. I feel like my expectations will always be higher than anyone else's are for me. I feel like by meeting my expectations, I'll exceed the team's expectations.
"So, not only do I want to prove them right, I want to prove them damn right, where (they're thinking), 'We got our guy. He didn't just do what we needed him to do, he did that and more.' That is the consensus I want in the organization."
Moore is clearly highly motivated to have a big season with the Titans. He could be blocking for a No. 1 pick quarterback in 2025 so his job will be extra important. If he can live up to the contract, the Titans' offense has a chance to be greatly improved.
Dan Moore Signing Gets Brutal Reaction From Titans Fans
The Tennessee Titans had one of the worst rosters in the NFL last season and it will take more than just one offseason to turn this team into a contender. Many felt that new general manager Mike Borgonzi understood this notion and was going to be patient in free agency, but he defied that on Monday by signing offensive tackle Dan Moore to a four-year, $82 million deal with $50 million guaranteed.
Moore spent the last four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and had an up-and-down tenure as the team's starting left tackle. Titans fans were furious about the signing and took the social media to let their thoughts be known.
Some fans were simply shocked by the amount of money that Borgonzi handed to Moore on the first day of free agency. Other fans responded with clever memes to indicate how disappointed they felt.
One fan pointed out how often Steelers fans called for Moore to be replaced, and even joked that he could make $82 million himself if he had a nickel for every such instance. Tyler Rowland from "Locked On Titans" chose to share a compilation of Moore's lowlights from last season.
A Steelers fan even joined in on the fun by posting a video compilation of NFL players dancing in response to the news that Moore was leaving the team. This fan's joy was contrasted by the frustration of a Titans fan, who recapped the team's free agency period so far.
Moore has not even played a down for the franchise yet but is already receiving hate from the fanbase. He has not been given an opportunity to defend himself or prove anybody wrong yet, but for the money that they're paying him, Moore better pan out well for the franchise.
