Mark Madden: Offensive line should be Steelers' center of attention in free agency

Instead of indulging fanboy erotica over what big-name quarterback the Steelers might get but won’t, pay attention to who the Steelers could get and should.

Free-agent center Ryan Jensen comes to mind. He won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay two seasons ago. He made his first Pro Bowl this past campaign.

Jensen won’t be cheap. His last deal was four years, $42 million, with $22 million guaranteed.

Jensen is 31. This is his last chance to really cash in.

The Steelers don’t like to guarantee money past a contract’s first year. But they’d better, unless they want human turnstile Kendrick Green to again snap and stumble.

The Steelers should have taken Kansas City center Creed Humphrey in last year’s second round. Humphrey made the All-Rookie team. Instead, the Steelers got tight end Pat Freiermuth: A good player but an odd pick given the importance the Steelers assign the center position.

No problem. Just sign Jensen.

But the Steelers probably won’t. Cincinnati probably will. One report has the Bengals giving Jensen a three-year pact worth $39 million.

What team would you rather play for?

Jensen is one of the NFL’s top centers. He’s tough and competitive, a mauler. He’s cut down his penalties. The Steelers’ offensive line can use all those qualities, and in quantity.

If Jensen goes elsewhere, other free-agent possibilities at center are Baltimore’s Bradley Bozeman or Tennessee’s Ben Jones. The Steelers badly need to shore up their offensive line.

But it’s more fun to debate a quarterback acquisition that won’t happen.

For decades, Steelers fans have taken pride in the “Steelers way.” The method that has been applied consistently since 1969, Chuck Noll’s first year as coach. It’s a philosophy that has won six Super Bowls. Build through the draft. Develop your own talent. Augment as needed.

Now you want the Steelers to abruptly ditch that and swap a bunch of first-round picks for a 38-year-old quarterback. That deal that would keep them from solving other problems and they still wouldn’t win. (It’s good that the “possibility” of that trade is a work of fiction.)

“Steelers way, Steelers way, blah, blah, blah.” Like a mantra. Now you want knee-jerk.

The Steelers have disappointed, true. Three playoff wins in 11 years, none in the last five. That’s with a Hall of Fame quarterback. That’s what you should be mad about.

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But, for 52 years, the “Steelers way” has mostly worked.

Just shut up and let the Steelers build a team like they always have. Sure, they might not be too good in 2022. You can’t win all the time.

The real disappointment isn’t what’s happening now. It’s wasting the last 11 years.

I hear local sports radio’s lesser lights talking about “win-now mode.” About the Steelers’ “Super Bowl window.”

More fiction. The Steelers aren’t that team. How could anyone possibly think that?

As noted, they haven’t won a playoff game for five years. In their last three playoff losses, they’ve allowed 42, 48 and 45 points. They made the playoffs this past season by the charity of one of the oddest final Sundays in NFL history, then got beat by 21 in the wild-card round.

None of that screams or even suggests “win-now mode.” They’re not remotely close.

Just build a team.

Start by signing Jensen.

Doing that will force the Steelers to go against their own grain to some degree. But at least they have ample salary-cap space.