Steelers' Omar Khan Eager To Stay Aggressive In 2024 Offseason: "We're Not Done"

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has once again engineered an exciting offseason, and we still have weeks to go before the 2024 NFL Draft. Khan has shown that he is unafraid to be aggressive and go after what he wants. Along with Head Coach Mike Tomlin, they are forging a team of passionate players who are focused on winning championships.

Currently, Khan and Tomlin are in Orlando, Florida, with their peers from the 31 other NFL teams, attending the 2024 NFL Annual Meeting. These meetings provide multiple opportunities for the media to ask questions. Khan recently spoke with Rob King about the offseason so far, saying the organization is far from done.

"There's a lot of time between now and Latrobe. I like where we're at, but that's not to say we're not going to keep trying to find ways to improve in all areas. We've got some really good core guys coming back. We've added some pieces to that, but we're not done. There's a lot of time between now and the start of the season," said Khan.

Perhaps the most significant changes Khan and Tomlin made were letting quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver Diontae Johnson move on to "greener pastures" when they expressed a need for change. The Steelers are well known for their unflinching loyalty, even in the face of adversity. This made the fact that they moved on from their 2022 first-round pick quite unusual. 

They made several splashy moves, including signing Russell Wilson and trading for Justin Fields. They also signed linebacker Patrick Queen from the Baltimore Ravens. The Queen three-year, $41 million deal, represents the most expensive Steelers free agency signing in the team's history. 

King said that the Steelers appeared to fill some holes in free agency, including at inside linebacker, wide receiver, and quarterback, but the team still has work to do. He asked how Khan felt about the draft this year and the opportunity they will have to find good fits for the rest of the holes in the roster. 

"It's really a good draft. Going through the Pro Days over the last couple of weeks and having some preliminary draft meetings, you just get more and more excited about this draft. There's some good football players. The receiver position is deep; you look at the offensive line, the tight end positions got some good players, defensively, the corner position has got a lot of fun players, really good safety draft. I'm excited about it."

The Steelers still need to address some significant areas of need in the draft, including wide receiver, center, tackle, and cornerback. Of course, there is still a lot of time left in the offseason, and with the way Khan has been able to work his magic, there is no telling what else could happen.  

Steelers Signing Of Patrick Queen Represents More Than Just A Roster Spot

It is not totally surprising that Khan was willing to stretch for Queen financially. Pittsburgh's inside linebacker position has felt jinxed ever since Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal cord injury in 2017. They moved up to draft Devin Bush in 2019, thinking they had found their replacement. Unfortunately, Bush suffered an injury in 2020, and was never quite the same thereafter.

In 2023, after bringing Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander on board, the team once again thought they had a solid solution on the inside. However, injuries were again a factor, with both suffering ones ending their seasons. Holcomb's fate still hangs in the balance, as it is unclear if he will be 100% ready for camp.  

That is why it makes sense that the front office would be willing to do something they rarely do for unproven players, and that's pay them. Queen may not be proven in Pittsburgh, but we certainly got to see him work twice a year while he was in Baltimore. Plus, Queen possesses what has to be a highly desirable trait for the Steelers: durability. During his four seasons in the league, Queen has never missed a game due to injury. He has played and started in 67 games and has 297 tackles, 37 of them for a loss, 33 quarterback hits, 13.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and four interceptions. 

What else do you expect Khan to do this offseason? Click to comment below.

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