REVEALED: The Pro Football Network has announced one big reason why Omar Khan is the 21st-best general manager.
Omar Khan is the 21st-best general manager in the NFL, according to Pro Football Network.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were one of four teams given an A+ draft grade by Pro Football Focus for the 2024 NFL Draft. This is the second consecutive year that PFF has given the Steelers an A+ draft grade. Omar Khan appears to be an outstanding general manager for the Steelers, while his employment is still in its early stages. That’s why it was unexpected that Dallas Robinson of the Pro Football Network ranked Khan 21st among NFL general managers.
Some of the general managers that ranked higher than Khan included Joe Douglas of the New York Jets, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings, Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins, and Andrew Berry of the Cleveland Browns.
“Omar Khan, a 20-year veteran of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ front office, acted quickly when Kenny Pickett, his predecessor’s first-round quarterback pick, proved incapable of above-average performance. Khan traded Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for starter Russell Wilson and promising backup Justin Fields. It was an innovative answer to a specific Pittsburgh challenge. “Khan used the previous two drafts to give the Steelers’ offense a punishing identity, adding three offensive line starters in Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu, and Zach Frazier,” Robinson said. Robinson found nothing unfavorable about Khan. More than anything, his poor ranking is due to a limited sample size.
Along with a solid draft, Khan had a successful free agency; but, a No. 2 wide receiver remains a need. The Steelers signed quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to cheap contracts. Pittsburgh’s quarterback depth chart is under contract for less than $4.5 million total. The Steelers also signed Patrick Queen, a former Baltimore Ravens linebacker, to a three-year, $41 million contract, making him the highest-paid free agent signing in franchise history. Kevin Colbert made several poor draft decisions late in his career, including Kenny Pickett, and now Khan is cleaning things up and preparing the Steelers for postseason glory.
Ike Taylor, a former Steelers cornerback and current team scout, has provided insight into Khan’s operations as general manager. “I often tell (Omar) that he’s been waiting for this moment his entire life. “You sat for nearly 20 years to get this opportunity to be a general manager,” Taylor said on the Bleav in Steelers podcast. “And I’ve seen him live in action in the weeks leading up to the draft, the month of the draft, and the three days of the draft.” I told O that you become a completely different person on draft days. He’s locked in, that hawk side coming out of O on draft day.
“But what I was most proud of was seeing O and how he moved during the three days of the draft. When it came down to it, he was on a whole different world than everyone else in the draft room, even the owners. They needed to understand how committed O was, and we all appreciated that.”
