Mark Madden: Getting a 1st-round WR makes sense, but the Steelers cling to outdated philosophy

Conventional wisdom says the Pittsburgh Steelers will take an offensive lineman with their first pick of the NFL Draft, 20th overall. Either a tackle or center. Whichever of those two positions isn’t addressed with that choice, they will likely select in the second round.

That’s smart. If it’s the ’70s.

If the Steelers do draft offensive linemen as expected, it’s difficult to be critical. Tackle and center are glaring needs, unless you believe Dan Moore Jr. should start at left tackle in perpetuity. (The Steelers might.)

But the Steelers’ game plan of pound the ball, possess the ball and play good defense won’t work. It won’t matter if new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith knows what he’s doing. (He’ll be a scapegoat soon enough.)

Today’s NFL is about scoring more and faster.

New quarterback Russell Wilson is devoid of weaponry. The Steelers’ No. 1 receiver is a basket case. They don’t really have a No. 2 receiver. The tight end position is inadequate, though nobody wants to admit that. (MUUUUUTH!)

Perhaps the Steelers should draft a wide receiver in the first round. Or at least in the second round.

Cue the battle cry: “You can always get decent receivers!” OK. So why don’t the Steelers have more?

But the Steelers will cling to their outdated football philosophy. The one that hasn’t won a playoff game in seven seasons.

To be fair, it consistently beats lesser teams.

But it’s not going to very often beat great quarterbacks. Keep the ball out of, say, Joe Burrow’s hands all you want. But Burrow and his superstar ilk don’t need the ball very much. Brief drives for touchdowns beat long drives for field goals.

Here’s betting the Steelers take Georgia tackle Amarius Mims with the 20th pick. He’s started only eight games in college, but, as is tradition, the Steelers won’t expect him to play right away. Mims is big and athletic. He’d rejoin college teammate Broderick Jones to ultimately be bookend tackles with the Steelers. Coach T likes a good story. (Like Kenny Pickett switching parking lots.)

But it’s impossible to predict who goes at the 20th choice. Draft “expert” Mel Kiper Jr. got one pick right out of 32 in last year’s first round. That was the first pick overall. (Come Sunday morning his slate was clean. Kiper was a draft “expert” again.)

If the Steelers do think about taking a receiver in the first round, what are the options on the offensive line?

They could use Nate Herbig at center. Herbig has played guard during his five NFL seasons but couldn’t do worse at center than Mason Cole.

I used to think the Steelers’ obsession with their center position and its lineage — Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson, Jeff Hartings, Maurkice Pouncey, etc. — was a bit overwrought. Until I saw Cole start.

They could stick with Moore at left tackle and Jones at right tackle for another season. That negates the primary reason they traded up to draft Jones last year, to be a franchise left tackle. But the Steelers love Moore.

Those aren’t optimal choices.

But the Steelers can’t start 2024 with guys named Quez and Van as their No. 2 receiving threat behind AB Jr. Jr. Jr. It’s not that kind of league. (I may have mentioned that before.)

It’s more important for the Steelers to bolster their receiving corps than it is to improve their offensive line. They can’t possibly get by with the receivers they have. They need to put Wilson in better position to succeed. (Even if he stays upright a bit less.)

But the Steelers are excellent at fooling themselves. Perhaps their next delusion will be signing free-agent wideout Tyler Boyd and convincing themselves he’s a No. 2 receiver, not a No. 3. (Boyd is ex-Pitt, ex-Clairton High School. He’s a good story.)

The Steelers may wind up wishing they had kept Diontae Johnson, pain in the backside though he may be.

What receiver should they take at pick No. 20?

Ask Kiper.

One mock draft has the Steelers taking wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. of LSU in the first round. Let’s go with that.

Mock drafts are just filling time. Nobody knows.