There won’t be OTAs or mini-camp. Training camp is a long way off. There might not even be a 2020 season.

But when the NFL does play, the Steelers will make a big mistake. The right decision is so obvious. It’s equally obvious the Steelers will make the wrong one.

Ramon Foster retired after a terrible 2019 season at left guard. The Steelers signed Stefen Wisniewski out of free agency.

The Central Catholic and Penn State product started at left guard for Kansas City in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs won. Two seasons prior, Wisniewski started at left guard for Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. The Eagles won.

Wisniewski is 31. He’s hardly washed up. He earned rings in two of the past three seasons. Plugging him in for Foster should be the easiest decision the Steelers make.

They won’t do it. That’s guaranteed.

Wisniewski will instead replace B.J. Finney as backup for the interior line. Finney departed Pittsburgh via free agency and after much frustration.

Finney was second-string at guard and center, a role insanely romanticized by the Steelers. Even though Foster struggled mightily this past season, the Steelers would not start Finney. Hosting the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 10, they moved Matt Feiler from right tackle to left guard to better deal with Rams superstar lineman Aaron Donald. Chuks Okorafor played right tackle. It was Okarafor’s only action for the season.

The Steelers simply would not start Finney. Not unless a guard was hurt, or center Maurkice Pouncey.

During Finney’s four seasons, the Steelers were 11-2 when he started. It didn’t matter. The Steelers want a quality backup at center and guard.

Foster was rotten. But the Steelers still wouldn’t start Finney. They were more concerned about the quality of the backup at three positions than about the quality of the starting left guard.

It will be the same with Wisniewski. He’s been in the league nine years and has started at left guard and center.

The Steelers told Wisniewski he would have a chance to win Foster’s old job at left guard. They lied. Wisniewski replaces Finney, not Foster.

Instead of starting Wisniewski at left guard, the Steelers will pull the same switcheroo used against the Rams: Feiler moves to left guard. Right tackle belongs to Okorafor or Zach Banner, most likely Okorafor.

Okorafor will be entering his third season in the league. The Steelers supposedly love Okorafor’s potential. Last year, they loved it so much he was inactive for 15 games. If Okorafor made any progress in 2019, it must have been on the practice field.

Banner is a Heinz Field folk hero, getting a crowd pop when he checks in as an eligible receiver. But, like Okorafor, Banner started one game last season.

So the choice is: Wisniewski, who started at left guard for two of the last three Super Bowl winners, or one of two guys who have each started once in the NFL.

It seems an absurdly simple choice. But the Steelers will butcher it.

Feiler is the wild card. The Steelers believe his best position is guard. He played very well against Donald, allowing one pressure in 11 one-on-one situations. Okorafor also played well vs. the Rams despite allowing a sack and committing a holding foul.

But that’s one game. According to Pro Football Focus, Feiler was the highest-rated lineman on the Steelers and ranked 20th among all NFL tackles. He started all 16 games, allowing four sacks and taking three penalties. Feiler also recovered three fumbles, which kept the Steelers’ total of 30 turnovers from being even sillier.

Why would the Steelers move their top-performing lineman to another position?

The choice isn’t between Okorafor and Banner at right tackle, or between Feiler and Wisniewski at left guard. That’s camouflage. The choice is between starting Wisniewski and starting Okorafor or Banner.

Wisniewski is better than Okorafor and Banner.

But, this past season, Finney was better than Foster. Rinse and repeat.

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