PITTSBURGH — There have been many discussions about the Steelers' offseason, but very few have centered on the offensive and defensive lines.

I think that is a mistake because the best argument for the Steelers to have another winning season and perhaps make a run at the AFC North title is that they will likely win a lot of games up front on both sides of the ball.

One of the issues holding the Steelers back in recent years has been instability along the offensive line, and they haven't found the right mix of players to complement Cam Heyward on the defensive line.

Dan Moore Jr. has been the left tackle mostly because the Steelers could not find anyone capable of beating him out. And that isn't necessarily for lack of trying, as they have used two first-round picks on tackles. Moore was serviceable but not necessarily a difference maker and, at times, below average, and that was part of the problem with the Steelers' offense.

The Steelers' center position had been a bit of a crap shoot after Maurkice Pouncey retired in 2021, but Zach Frazier last season as a rookie showed a lot of signs that he will be the center for this team for a long time. Frazier should be even better this season with a whole year of experience and another year in the weight room, and all of that, and he has a chance to become the next in a line of great centers that have played for the Steelers.

Guard Mason McCormick is a fourth-round pick out of FCS South Dakota State, and he looks like he might be the steal of last year's draft. He, like Frazier, had some growing pains as a rookie but showed signs he could be manning his spot for many years to come. McCormick is a bit of a brawler, and he has the right mentality to become a dominant run blocker and interior lineman.

Obviously, their other guard, Isaac Seumalo, is probably their best overall lineman and one of the highest-paid players on the team. If he stays healthy the entire season, I think the interior of the Steelers' offensive line will be among the best in the NFL. That should help the run game become more consistent, even with some questions about whether or not Jaylen Warren can be an every-down back.

The wild cards, of course, are the two tackles, but for different reasons. I think I saw enough during training camp from Troy Fautanu last year to believe he will be an upgrade at right tackle over Broderick Jones, who never looked comfortable there. Fautanu is coming off an injury and lost season, but if he is fully healthy, which by all accounts he is, then I think he has a chance to be a dominant right tackle.

Jones moving to the left side should be good for him, as that is his more natural position. The Steelers drafted him in the first round for a reason, and so it is reasonable to expect him to play at least to the level of Moore, if not better and maybe much better.

Put it all together, and it is clear the Steelers have stability along their offensive line. This unit has a chance to grow together and become cohesive, and it has enough talent to grow into a team strength. I have argued that the offensive line has been too inconsistent in recent years for the offense to develop any consistency, but I think this year that will change.

Aaron Rodgers should have enough time to throw the ball, and I really think this unit will become a dominant run-blocking group. That is the staple of the offense, and I think they are going to get back to dictating when they run the ball to the other teams.

As for the defensive line, first-round pick Derrick Harmon will be a rookie, true, but I think he is the kind of run stopper that the Steelers have lacked in recent years. In college, he was known as a mauler who took on double-team blocks and blew up running plays at the point of attack. He is explosive and strong, and I think he will step right in and plug a big hole the Steelers have had.

Harmon's presence should free up Heyward a little bit more. It will also help Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, and the rest of the inside linebackers because he will help occupy blockers and keep them from getting to the second level.

The game has evolved from the old days of "three yards and a cloud of dust," but it is still fundamentally the same: a team cannot win if it can't win at the line of scrimmage. That is such a crucial element of playing winning football, and the Steelers have been far too inconsistent at it to have a chance to become a dominant team again.

I am not predicting a Super Bowl, but I do predict that the Steelers will win many games at the line of scrimmage this year.

And that might even translate to them winning in the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade.

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