Steelers’ Omar Khan Given An Atrocious Ranking Among General Managers

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has been praised heavily for his work during the offseason. He has made unorthodox moves and brought in key players, successfully upgrading the special teams, offense, and defense. Khan's strategic approach and bold decisions have revitalized the team's roster and injected a fresh sense of optimism among fans and analysts alike.

Before Khan took over as the general manager, Kevin Colbert was the man in charge. Colbert found significant success during his tenure as the first-ever Steelers general manager, a position he held from 2010 until he stepped down after the 2022 NFL Draft. His tenure included some really solid decision making, but it ended with a poor 2022 NFL Draft that featured the Steelers using their first round pick on quarterback Kenny Pickett. 

Recently, while Khan has been celebrated, Colbert has faced some disrespect. Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports offered a different perspective on the Steelers' young general manager, ranking Khan as the 19th-best GM in the NFL. Daugherty's reasoning hinted at Khan's relative newness to the role and the challenges he inherited, suggesting that Khan was handed the keys to a team in need of significant rebuilding.

“One division, two legendary retiring GMs. Ozzie Newsome left Eric DeCosta Lamar Jackson. Kevin Colbert left Omar Khan … Kenny Pickett. That means Khan is going to be graded on a curve for the foreseeable future, but he’s already made one great quarterback decision: Cutting his losses with Kenny. Pickett has been shipped out for a bag of footballs while Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have been brought in on the cheap to try to create some semblance of post-Roethlisberger momentum.”

Daugherty acknowledged that the situation Khan inherited was far from easy. He highlighted the significant efforts Khan has made in his short tenure as general manager, noting the positive impact on the team's outlook. Khan's actions have given Steelers fans a renewed sense of optimism about their future under his leadership.

“Khan’s rosters have managed to go 19-15 with a backdoor 2023 playoff qualification. A ‘23 draft class that produced five 17-game players — including starters Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton — was a promising first step into the post-Colbert void. Nick Herbig also looks like a solid Day 3 flier. It’s never easy, but Khan’s initial weathering of someone else’s quarterback bust suggests it won’t be as hard as it could have been.”

It's still too early to fully assess Khan's drafting prowess. However, as things stand today, there is optimism that he has done an excellent job in his two drafts. The 2023 draft produced some key contributors who have shown significant potential. The 2024 draft also went very well for the Steelers, as they managed to fill their major needs and secure great value, all without giving up any draft capital.

Khan began his career with the Steelers in 2001 as their football operations coordinator. He played a crucial role in helping the Steelers form two Super Bowl-winning rosters alongside Colbert. In 2011, Khan was promoted to director of football administration, and by 2016, he had advanced to vice president of football and business administration. Now, as the Steelers' general manager since 2022, it's challenging to accurately rank where Khan stands in the league due to his relatively recent appointment.

Steelers' Omar Khan Has Given Fans A Reason To Be Excited

Despite this, Khan's extensive experience and successful track record in various roles within the organization provide a strong foundation for his leadership. His ability to navigate the complexities of the draft and make strategic decisions has already shown promise, and Steelers fans have good reason to be hopeful about the team's future under his guidance.

Khan's offseason efforts were undeniably bold and deserving of praise. He has given Steeler Nation legitimate hope for the franchise's future. Khan seems to strike a good balance between aggressiveness and realism, a vital combination for a team aiming to reenter the Super Bowl conversation.

#SteelerNation