Mark Madden: If the Steelers won't change Arthur Smith's staff, maybe they'll upgrade personnel?

This is a magical time of year for Pittsburgh Steelers fans. Optimism runs rampant. Mock drafts pile up.

We imagine that new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will revolutionize, not be a different take on the same outdated offensive philosophy. (The vision is Mike Tomlin’s, not the coordinator’s.)

We’re told Smith had other offers. In fact, Smith was about to jump on a plane to Tampa before Tomlin convinced him what a joy it would be to coach Kenny Pickett. (I’d rather work with Baker Mayfield, assuming he re-ups with Tampa Bay.)

Tomlin and members of his staff are at the Senior Bowl. The Steelers reportedly love Zach Frazier, the center from West Virginia University. (The Steelers shouldn’t love that Frazier broke his fibula near the end of this past season.)

Roman Wilson, the wideout from Michigan, reportedly loves Tomlin. (He wouldn’t love Pickett or the Steelers’ offense.)

No word on whether Tomlin had wings with any of the Senior Bowl prospects like he did with the quarterback from Liberty Biberty in 2022. The wings were a diversion. It was Pickett or bust in that draft. (Now it’s just bust.)

Mike Vrabel might come back to Pittsburgh as an assistant! (Except he won’t. Nor will Mike Munchak. Bill Belichick won’t be joining Tomlin’s staff, either.)

Mitch Trubisky might return as the backup! (Amazingly, some think that could really happen. It would certainly make the fans rally behind Pickett.)

Friday was Groundhog Day. If Pickett saw his shadow, does that mean six more weeks of bad quarterbacking? (That might be getting off easy.)

All this is a nice distraction from pondering the Super Bowl. (San Francisco is better than Kansas City, but how can you bet against Patrick Mahomes?) And the cliched topic of what Super Bowl snacks are best. (Wings and nachos, period. Beer is the only acceptable beverage.)

If you want serious Steelers talk, consider that it already looks like Smith’s job performance will be handicapped.

It’s reported the Steelers will retain the rest of their offensive staff unless quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan gets a better job elsewhere. Adding a passing game coordinator seems unlikely.

Shouldn’t a new offensive coordinator be able to bring in his own staff? Besides coaching the players, Smith is going to have to teach the coaches.

Related

• Steelers announce hiring of Arthur Smith as offensive coordinator
• Football Footnotes: Why Arthur Smith's offense worked in Tennessee and how it may work again with the Steelers
• U mad, bro?: Steelers fans mad about the hiring of Arthur Smith and media coverage of it

But that’s typical of the Steelers: keep the staff small and cheap. Replacing coaches would mean having to pay off fired coaches. No chance of that.

Perhaps the Steelers will upgrade Smith’s personnel.

The Steelers badly need a center. Mason Cole stinks.

The Steelers passed on Tyler Linderbaum in the 2022 draft and on Creed Humphrey in the 2021 draft. Both made this year’s Pro Bowl. (Yes, I’d rather have Linderbaum than Pickett. I’d certainly rather have Humphrey than Pat Freiermuth, who would be seen as a disappointment if the last syllable of his name wasn’t easily yelled.)

Should the Steelers draft Frazier? Maybe, but not in the first round. Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon also is regarded highly.

The Steelers also need a tackle. A right tackle. Move Broderick Jones to left tackle where he belongs.

Dan Moore Jr. works hard, or so we’re constantly told. But left tackle is the money spot. The Steelers traded up to draft Jones. Put him at the most important position. Moore’s best use would be as a versatile backup.

The Steelers have needs on defense, too. Most notably defensive line and at inside linebacker.

But the Steelers have invested plenty on defense and still don’t have a great defense. The NFL is about points. Address the offensive side of the ball first, most and aggressively.