Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has been with the franchise's front office in one capacity or another since 2001. That's why when Kevin Colbert retired in 2022, and Khan was promoted, most fans thought we would get the same type of general manager. Nothing could have been further from the truth. While Khan continues to respect and uphold the fundamental traditions that have made the Steelers one of the most revered organizations in the NFL, he has shown that he is not Colbert part two.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Former Steelers General Manager, Kevin Colbert (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right).
Khan has shown himself to be a bit more aggressive than Colbert. He brought on Patrick Queen this offseason, the largest free agent signing in team history. He also appears cool under pressure. He didn't make a panic move up the draft board this year; he held stern and still selected high-value players.
Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently joined his fellow reporter, Adam Bittner, on the North Shore Drive Podcast to discuss Khan. Batko said he sees a difference in Khan's handling of player extensions. Khan isn't letting his emotions get in the way of making what he thinks is a sound business decision surrounding Najee Harris, Cameron Heyward, and Pat Freiermuth.
"I just get the sense that with all these situations, whether it's a trade for Aiyuk, an extension for Najee, Freiermuth, or Cam Heyward, pretty much any financial dealings, I think Omar Khan is the type of GM who's going to say, 'Look, we've got to find the right value here. We've got to make sure what we're doing is prudent for now and down the line.' I just don't think he's going to be pressured into anything. It's been a little bit of a different outlook than people might have thought with this roster, and I don't necessarily blame him for that. I think he's going to be more of a cold and calculating GM than we've seen from Kevin Colbert's tenure."
Batko adds that it isn't to say that Colbert couldn't make those tough decisions. We saw him "rip the Band-Aid" off with some beloved players like Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward late in their careers. But there were other times that Colbert may have kept players around like he did with the offensive line in the 2010s. Those players have even admitted that Colbert probably kept them longer than Khan would have.
AP
Steelers 2010s offensive linemen.
Batko admits that most media felt the Harris extension was a no-brainer. The team would pay him under $7 million with the extension, where he should be compared to other running backs. After all, he had had 1,000-yard seasons all three years in the league, with weak offensive lines, poor play-calling, and a revolving door at quarterback. However, while we thought it made sense, Batko said clearly Khan didn't feel that way.
Steelers' Decision On Cameron Heyward Is Still Looming
Heyward is entering the final year of his contract. He has clarified that he hopes the Steelers will offer him an extension before the start of the 2024 season, but that hasn't happened.
He tells everyone he has about three years of playing left in him, and part of what makes it tricky is that he is a bit of a unicorn. There aren't many defensive tackles who make it to 35 as Heyward has, and they are still playing as well as he did. He suffered a fluke injury at the start of 2023, and many are concerned that he won't return to full strength.
Jeffrey Becker / USA TODAY Sports
Steelers' Cameron Heyward.
While it is understandable that the team might want to see how he performs before giving him a contract, others feel as if it is the ultimate slap in the face. Heyward means more to this city than just being a player; he is a native, one of us, and he wants to stay and be a one-helmet guy. Khan must balance emotions and financial aspects to find what is best for the team. If Batko is right, he will take the emotion out of it and be more "cold and calculating."
Do you see Khan as cold and calculating? Click to comment below.
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