GM Omar Khan ‘surprised’ that Russell Wilson, Justin Fields are Steelers

GM Omar Khan was surprised by the turn of events that was the Steelers QB depth chart.

Though buzz throughout the early offseason included quarterbacks Russell Wilson or Justin Fields potentially landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the acquisitions of both were a stunner.

Not as surprised — just “a little” — was Steelers general manager Omar Khan.

“If you would have told me a month ago when we spoke in Indy that we’d be sitting here a month later and that Russell Wilson and Justin Fields would be our quarterbacks, I’d say yeah, I’d be a little bit surprised,” Khan said Monday at the NFL Annual League Meeting, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo.

At February’s NFL Scouting Combine, Khan said he had “full faith” in Kenny Pickett and the media destroyed him for it.

Khan has masterfully overhauled Pittsburgh’s quarterback depth chart in less than one month since his statement supporting Pickett.

“Things changed from when we were in Indy to where we are here,” he said. “You know, some things happened, and (I) probably didn’t anticipate the way things would go, but I’m excited about where we are.”

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Steelers GM Omar Khan downplays team’s failing grades in NFLPA report card

The Steelers got failing grades in multiple categories in their 2024 NFLPA report card.

The NFLPA handed out grades for all 32 NFL teams in a variety of categories, and some of the grades for the Pittsburgh Steelers were downright awful. The Steelers got an F-minus for the treatment of facilities, an F for the locker room and an F for ownership.

All of these failing grades point to team President Art Rooney II and ownership refusing to invest in the team and the facilities. Critics of the team say that dated facilities hurt the team’s ability to bring in free agents. General manager Omar Khan denies that claim, however.

“I by no means think our facilities are holding us back from being successful,” Khan said.

All it takes is a simple Google search to see what the team facilities are like for most NFL teams, and there is no denying how dated the Steelers’ are compared to other teams’. The fact the Steelers share facilities with the University of Pittsburgh doesn’t help either.

Will two years of low grades have any impact on the team? Probably not. Free agency is set to start in just a couple of weeks, and it will be interesting to see which teams draw in the most high-profile free agents and whether there is any correlation between the best facilities and the best signings.

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NFL analyst misses the mark big-time in criticism of Steelers GM Omar Khan

Marshall Faulk calls out the wrong Steelers general manager.

Everyone makes mistakes. But when you are a highly paid NFL analyst, you had better get your facts straight before you start talking. Former NFL running back Marshall Faulk went on “The Rich Eisen Show” and in his criticisms of the Pittsburgh Steelers, completely missed the mark about general manager Omar Khan. See if you can spot where it all goes wrong for Faulk.

“I believe Mike Tomlin, the Pittsburgh Steelers, when they lost their GM, that’s the difference in this team,” Faulk stated. “The talent doesn’t look like the Pittsburgh Steelers talent. The Pittsburgh Steelers used to draft the best available talent, not what they needed. If you start drafting what you need you get in trouble. So you gotta take the best available talent.”

If we are being fair. Faulk was half right. The level of talent in the Steelers drafts hasn’t been great over the past half dozen seasons or so. However, those drafts belonged to former general manager Kevin Colbert. Not current general manager Omar Khan. Khan didn’t take over the team until after the 2022 NFL draft.

Khan orchestrated the 2023 NFL draft which yielded multiple high-level rookie starters and could be the best draft the Steelers have had in a decade.

There’s no doubt problematic drafts are a part of what is holding the Steelers back, but that doesn’t fall on Khan.

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