PITTSBURGH — It's a good thing Keeanu Benton might play some defensive end and Broderick Jones will return to left tackle.

For a while there, as I digested comments made by Steelers general manager Omar Khan at Lucas Oil Stadium for the NFL combine, it felt like the organization might've been stuck in a rut, refusing to change yet somehow expecting different results.

But Benton and Jones moving a few paces to their right or left, now we're cooking. Don't dare call the Steelers stubborn.

Considering the Steelers' success throwing the football in 2024 — they averaged 192 passing yards per game, up from a paltry in 186.1 in 2023, and better than all but 26 NFL teams — why would they want to change? Same goes for the running game (9.2 more yards per game), scoring offense (plus-4.5 points) or scoring defense (minus-1.3 points).

Refusing to disrupt progress surely extends to those fluky postseason results, as well: six consecutive losses, the last victory coming in 2016, dropping those contests by a combined 96 points and getting out-scored 73-0 in the first quarter during that stretch.

The Steelers have averaged 9.6 wins over the past seven regular seasons, but are we really going to base a sample size on anything so small? That's only 1 in dog years.

No, the plan this offseason has been perfectly understandable, starting with coach Mike Tomlin's declaration on Jan. 14 that nobody should get terribly comfortably with the status quo.

"I would imagine there are gonna be some things that change around here on a lot of levels," Tomlin said. "But that's just this game."

What game?

I'll stop the sarcasm to ask, again: What game?

All around the NFL, there's change. It's often an overreaction, but it's also a reality of the business: There's much on the line, and results are required, if not outright demanded.

Which is why the Steelers' offseason plan has been so darn confounding, the latest layer of paint being applied by Khan in Indianapolis.

It's tough to see those changes.

From Tomlin's perspective, I'm sure there are some things he'd like to adjust. Perhaps how the Steelers prepare or how they guard against soft-tissue injuries, something he did highlight during the season-ending news conference I referenced.

That's also a drop of water in the Allegheny River.

Everyone wants results, and it's tough to square believing things will be different with doing the exact same stuff over and over again.

For example, here's a list of the salient points from what Khan said:

— They'd like to keep either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, reiterating a previous desire from team president Art Rooney II, and they'd like to get something done before the start of the new league year on March 12. The big change here was Khan saying maybe the Steelers could wind up keeping both guys. Great.

— They're bringing back Jaylen Warren back, and the door remains ajar for Najee Harris, as well.

— Khan expressed a desire and confidence that T.J. Watt would finish his career with the Steelers.

— Khan believes in George Pickens and thinks "he has a desire to be great ... and a desire to be great here." I think it's fair to note that Pickens' actions — outside of the brilliant catches — say otherwise.

The only change, again, involves Benton and Jones, at least as of now. It's hard to understand.

"The way we ended [the season] was unacceptable," Khan said. "We know we have to be better, and people expect better."

Yes, they do.

They also expect change when you say there's going to be change, which isn't the first time this has happened with Tomlin. Shoot, it's not the first time we've heard something similar from any of our pro teams ... only to see them continue to do the same stuff, either because they can't or won't adjust.

Most confounding for me is the mounting evidence that what the Steelers are doing isn't working, the same for how useless it feels to be caught in the middle every single year.

Tomlin's teams have obviously been good enough to avoid losing seasons. But mediocre enough to threaten nobody in the playoffs.

So, why not change? Especially when you say you're going to?

Sure, they swapped out defensive backs and inside linebackers coaches. It actually felt like the Pirates canning their hitting coach and bullpen coach after falling short of expectations and producing another 76-win season.

It's something ... but hardy enough to make anyone feel better about the whole thing.

What Rooney and Khan have said should also tell us to cool it with he fictitious quarterback flirtations.

The Steelers seemingly want to preserve every part of the organization, and we're out here thinking they're going to give up a first-round pick to pay Matthew Stafford $50 million or welcome the Aaron Rodgers circus to 'tahn?

Seems far-fetched.

The Steelers have let us know at full volume what and who they are. It's probably time we believe them.

While other NFL teams cycle through coaches and coordinators, when they throw over the middle or otherwise innovate on offense and defense, when they take action on players who underperform or act out, the Steelers respond by moving a grand total of about 12 feet either way.

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