If an additional high quality WR can help Ben deliver the ball in three seconds or less, then yeah. Why not?  I think you inadvertently raise a more basic question; do you develop your team in reaction to what other people are doing (an arms race scenario) or do you build it in terms of an internally generated philosophy of what you believe you need to accomplish to be successful? As someone who has coached a little and played a little I come down hard on the second option.

However, I am not so inflexible to not recognize that some situations require fidelity to the first option. But quite frankly, Steelers fans have a tendency to panic at rather minor provocations. You'd think we had lost nine times in a row to someone. Don't get me wrong, O-line needs improvement. I don't know of anyone, least of all Tomlin, who doesn't think so. The more intriguing question with, perhaps, not so much of pat answer is how do we do that? The correct answer, I think, is that you attack the problem at a number of different levels.

So, yes, you try to draft some college hotshot lineman. But remember, this is the silly season of player evaluation. In very few instances can we say with absolute certainty that someone will make it big in the NFL. For instance, I drafted Adrian Peterson for my fantasy football team fairly deep in the draft because no one was convinced he would amount to much. He'll be a first rounder this year don't you think? We had a good draft last year imo but none of them were difference makers in their first season. So you make a smart free agent addition that compensates for some the experience we lost and shores up what I thought was the weak link last year. Some people get healthy (Smith), others have an additude adjustment (Starks). You remind your quarterback and your OC that six seconds is not a reasonable time frame to expect quality line protection. You do a number of things to improve the line play. But again, in answer to your question, a rb who is a quality blocker and good receiver or a wr who stresses the defense to the point that they can't effectively cover. Yeah that helps get the job done too.

what your saying, there are many ways to approach the OL situation and the offense in general, my points are:
 1. IMO, the OL is the most important foundation of a team (followed by DL).  No team wins a championship or wins consistently with an average O-line.
 2. If everything went our way on the OL for 2008, no major injuries, everybody plays well, they develop as a unit etc, I actually think we have enough players and versatility to be a good line, maybe a very good line.  But in the real world stuff happens(injuries, FA leaving) and you'd better be prepared for it with good, young talent.
 3.  There is no panic here...no over reaction to what other teams are doing...just objectivity...look at our schedule: Pats, Jags, Giants, Chargers, Titans, Ravens all teams with big, tough, d-lines...we better be able to match them or forget it.
 4.  In 2006, we grabed 2 WR's(Holmes 1st, Reid 3rd).  In 2007, we grabbed 2 LB's (Timmons 1st, Woodley 2nd)...I feel 2008 is the year to use 2 high draft picks on the O-line.  If we only draft 1 and we swing and miss or he gets hurt etc, 2009 draft we'll be in the same OL situation.
 5. I love the skill positions RB's (I played RB in college many moons ago) and WR's...and of course all pieces of an offense (and defense)have to work together cohesively to function well and all share a portion of the blame when things breakdown (ie Ben holding onto the ball too long)...but I just place a higher priority  on the O-lineman.
 6.  Football is won in the trenches, Mano v. Mano..that is a truism that will never change...if you lose that battle and lose consistently, it doesn't matter how good your RB's or WR's are.

thats why we need 2 good, young O-lineman in the 2008 draft...of course this is all just my opinion and we will what the Steelers are thinking...after all they are the ones who actually get paid for this stuff...

with any of your points. I'd rather take the risk on getting quality O lineman or D lineman in the early rounds than on any other position. But if, in their opinion, their best option by the 23rd pick is someone who might not make a significant contribution this year (and all of your laudable points are contingent upon the challenges we face in '08), then they might decide to pick someone at another position that can help us this year. A project does us no good if the goal is to win this year. And remember, we already have a couple of those type of linemen on the roster already. Maybe one or both of them are ready to breakout.

how all this plays out.  The challenge is in this discussion we can only deal with hypothetical situations.

Once the draft unfolds, they will see exactly who is available in each round and compare players, and their relative worth.

Yes, RickVa, I agree some of our backups maybe ready for a break out year...from what I read LT-Capizzi is someone they really like...that would be great to have a young, talented LT in case M. Smith's back gives out in week seven of the season.  I also really like Kemo...I think he is going to be just fine in his first year as a starter (assuming he wins the job) and then really blossom into a special O-lineman.

And I do believe, as Maryrose points out, that our O-line (as is, with no draft picks) has some good players that can be "coached up"...with no major setbacks and everybody playing up to their potential I like the possibilites on our OL.

Specifically, I would love for us to get G/T Brandon Albert-Virginia but he will be gone by #23.  I think we then go with T-G.Cherilus-BC with #23...now if he is gone and all the other top rated OL are gone, then we will be forced to pick top rated DL/CB/WR or trade down (which would be fine with me if we got a good deal).

Also RickVa, yes the goal is to win now, this year, and it would be great if draft picks (especially high ones)could all come in immediately and contribute...but that doesn't happen all that often.  For instance, last year Timmons and Woodley, our #1 and #2 picks, contributed very little (I know Woodley was productive toward the end ) during their rookie season...but this year, year two,  both seemed primed and ready to start and have big years (which I think they will).  So, I understand the thinking is who can we pick that will get us over the hump now but due to FO patching up holes I don't think we have that huge hole to fill.  

Hopefully, our OL will play so well and solidy and lead us to a championship that our 2008 O-lineman picks (hopefully 2 high picks) can watch and learn...and be ready for a big year two, like Timmons and Woodley are going to do.

We shall see...it's fun to talk about it...all I know is we are two OL injuries away from having a starting left side of the OL be: LT-Essex, LG-Mahan...Yikes!!

BTW, can you tell I'm not tired...