Tag: Omar Khan

Pittsburgh should acquire former All-Pro CB via trade

The Los Angeles Rams are discussing CB Tre’Davious White’s future with the team, and a trade seems likely. Could Pittsburgh acquire him?

While Pittsburgh Steelers fans clamor for General Manager Omar Khan to pull the trigger on acquiring a veteran wide receiver, one interesting trade target could make the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense even more frightening.

The Los Angeles Rams have been linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers in recent days, with rumors of a possible trade for All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp.  However, this trade failed to gain momentum.  There is another All-Pro veteran player on the Rams’ roster, though, who seems to have been given a green light to seek a potential trade.

29-year old Rams’ All-Pro CB Tre’Davious White, drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, has discussed his future with Los Angeles and a trade seems likely.

Khan could potentially add another established and talented veteran to an already great Steelers’ defense.  White would complement the teams needs, as CB depth was an area of concern heading into the 2024 season.

The possible addition of White to a cornerback room that contains Joey Porter Jr., Donte Jackson, Beanie Bishop Jr., and the returning Cameron Sutton is a scary unit for any offense to throw against.

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Pittsburgh could still acquire All-Pro WR if Rams lose Week 9 matchup

The Rams could still trade WR Cooper Kupp away if they lose their Week 9 matchup to the Seattle Seahawks just two days before the deadline.

Speculation has run rampant the past few days, as the Los Angeles Rams were reportedly making multiple calls to teams regarding interest in trading for their 31-year old All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp.  The Pittsburgh Steelers, needy of additional talent at the wide receiver position, were one of the teams interested in acquiring his talents.  

While Rams’ HC Sean McVay seemingly put the trade rumors to bed, and confirmed Kupp would most likely remain in Los Angeles after their Week 8 win on Thursday Night Football, the team may be forced to sell if they lose their Week 9 matchup. 

The Los Angeles Rams, currently 3-4 on the season, could make the decision to sell their season just two days before the trade deadline.  On November 3rd, the Rams face their tough 4-3 NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, and a loss here in Week 9 could force the team to deal their aging and injury prone All-Pro wide receiver. 

If the Los Angeles Rams drop to 3-5 on the season, and Pittsburgh wins their Week 8 matchup to improve to 6-2, could Steelers’ GM Omar Khan make the Rams an offer they can’t refuse for Kupp? 

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Pittsburgh seemingly misses out on another All-Pro WR trade

Four potential WR trade targets have come and gone for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the Rams’ HC seemingly ended the Cooper Kupp trade hype.

From excitment to disappointment, what a difference a day makes. Head Coach Sean McVay crushed the hearts of Pittsburgh Steelers fans in the post-game press conference following Thursday Night Football’s matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams.

The most recent WR trade target on the Steelers’ radar was none other than 31-year-old All-Pro Cooper Kupp of the Rams. The superstar wideout had a solid outing on Thursday Night Football, and McVay took notice. While speaking to the media, the Rams head coach alluded to the trade rumors and practically dashed any hopes of the ‘Steel City’ acquiring the talented receiver.

 

Are fans placing too much pressure on the shoulders of General Manager Omar Khan and the Steelers’ front office?  Possibly, however, Khan should never have traded away the number one receiver in Pittsburgh, Diontae Johnson, without a proper backup plan in place.

Steelers’ RB Cordarrelle Patterson may end up being the last line of defense for recruiting a star player to Pittsburgh, and WR Mike Williams of the New York Jets could fit that bill.

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Should Fields or Wilson be traded by November 5th deadline?

Could Justin Fields or Russell Wilson become draft capital before the trade deadline? The team could use their value to acquire an elite WR.

Week 7 could decide whether Russell Wilson or Justin Fields stays on the roster and which one becomes a trade casualty by the November 5th deadline. Pittsburgh has two quality starting quarterbacks on the roster, and the team would be foolish to keep both beyond the trade deadline in a few weeks.

Third-string QB Kyle Allen is a quality backup to either Fields or Wilson, and this Steelers team is built to win now. With this in mind, why not trade one of them for help in an area of concern for the Steelers, such as the offensive line or wide receiver?

There are a plethora of elite receivers rumored to be available at the deadline, and Omar Khan’s ingenious preparation for the Steelers’ future will most likely force one of the two QBs to take their opportunities elsewhere.

Is Pittsburgh using Wilson’s Week 7 start as an opportunity to heighten his potential trade value? Or is the team attempting to protect the trade value of Fields? Only time will tell, but expect Pittsburgh to use the conclusion of the QB competition to position themselves as ‘buyers’ at the deadline.

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Steelers’ RB continues his recruiting of Davante Adams

It appears Steelers’ RB Cordarrelle Patterson is using his team’s victory over the Raiders as a sales pitch to Davante Adams.

Plenty of intriguing matchups and storylines were on display in Pittsburgh’s Week 6 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. From Justin Fields attempting to hold off Russell Wilson from overtaking him on the depth chart, to Roman Wilson’s debut, to Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown attending the game, fans were treated to something that felt like more than just a football game.

One storyline that appeared to be dying down was the ‘Davante Adams to Pittsburgh’ idea. After reports surfaced that Pittsburgh was aggressively pursuing the Raiders’ All-Pro receiver, and with the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets potentially pulling their names out of the proverbial race for Adams, news on the 31-year-old superstar came to a screeching halt.

However, that all changed after Pittsburgh’s dominant win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6, when Cordarrelle Patterson once again petitioned for Adams to come to Pittsburgh:

https://twitter.com/ceeflashpee84/status/1845610630239420803

Will Davante Adams follow the advice of the seven-time All-Pro kick returner? Only time will tell, but this is definitely an exciting time to be a Steelers fan.

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Steelers GM receives high praise despite Brandon Aiyuk debacle

NFL agents believe that Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan is one of the best in the business.

No one really knows what Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan offered the San Francisco 49ers in a Brandon Aiyuk trade package, only that it wasn’t enticing enough.

Despite the appearance that Khan got played by the Niners, NFL agents praised the third-year general manager and the Steelers franchise as a whole in a recent survey published by The Athletic.

“Omar Khan and (Steelers Assistant GM) Andy Weidl are a deadly combo,” one agent said. “They are the best.”

Khan received the third-most votes (tied) when agents were asked which GM they trusted the most. Only New England Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf and Chiefs GM Brett Veach receive more votes.

Weidl was brought to Pittsburgh to construct a top-flight offensive line, much like he did for the Philadelphia Eagles.

When asked which franchise they feel is the best-run, Pittsburgh received just two votes (fifth-most). The Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers were one through four.

“What a consistent, traditional franchise,” an agent said. “There’s no bull crap, and they win relatively consistently.”

One of the oldest franchises in the league, the Steelers have been run by the same (Rooney) family since their inception in 1933.

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Steelers GM taking sweet time in contract negotiations with 2 key players

As the 2024 NFL season draws near, so does the Pittsburgh Steelers’ self-imposed deadline for contract extensions.

As the 2024 NFL season draws near, so does the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ self-imposed deadline for contract extensions. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported that the Steelers have only negotiated in-season with one player since 1995, safety Darren Perry.

While several key players are heading into the season in the final year of their contracts, General Manager Omar Khan has only entered into negotiations with two: Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and tight end Pat Freiermuth.

With a total contract valued at $6.028 million ($1.507 million APY), Freiermuth is one of the lowest-paid at his position in the league. According to Spotrac, his contract ranks 39th, with several non-starters earning more. It’s still Freiermuth’s rookie deal, so the low number is not too surprising.

Freiermuth, 25, will get a hefty raise, estimated to be in the $10-$12 million range. He’s expected to be a significant part of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s game plan. Considering the Steelers are thin at receiver beyond George Pickens, Freiermuth will likely be the No. 2 target in the passing game.

Heyward’s situation is far more delicate, with the best years of his career in the rearview. The Steelers tend to treat aging players as expendable, as we witnessed with Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward. But as noted by Dulac, Khan being in talks with him indicates that he believes Heyward, 35, still has some gas left in the tank.

Entering the 14th year in the league, Heyward has stated he wants to play for a few more and retire with the Pittsburgh Steelers. If a deal cannot be reached, expect Heyward to wear different colors in 2025.

Should Freiermuth and Heyward reach deals with the Steelers, expect it to be announced this week.

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Trading WR Diontae Johnson was never the problem for the Steelers

How much will the Steelers miss Diontae Johnson?

Steeler Nation is squarely divided with half of them spiraling after the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to land San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk via trade. The Steelers play their first regular-season game in a week and most NFL pundits consider the Steelers wide receiver room one of the worst in the league.

Many fans also want to point fingers at General Manger Omar Khan and the Steelers front office for trading away a perfectly good starting wide receiver in Diontae Johnson.

But that isn’t the issue. It never was. Johnson and George Pickens are both divas. They struggle with immaturity that will overshadow their talent. There was no way the Steelers could go into this season with both guys on the roster. Pickens is younger, more talented and cheaper.

The mistake the Steelers and specifically Khan made was not having a plan to replace him. You know the old saying. Failure to plan is a plan to fail. Putting all the team’s eggs in the basket of a possible trade, a couple of mid-tier veterans and rookie Roman Wilson.

If the Steelers offense struggles after all the changes they have made, it will be hard not to wonder if all of it was for nothing because of this one move.

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Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl dodges question about Brandon Aiyuk

Andy Weidl deflected the questions about Brandon Aiyuk at his presser.

When Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Andy Weidl addressed the media, you just knew they were going to ask him about all the trade rumors surrounding the Steelers and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Weidl wasted no time in deflecting the inquiry and passing the buck on to general manager Omar Khan. “That’s an Omar question,” Weidl said. He did say that the team always does its due diligence when a player becomes available.

The Steelers have been linked to Aiyuk via media reports going all the way back to March and it hasn’t slowed down one bit since the start of the preseason.

It seems Weidl’s primary role has been the NFL draft and he has done a tremendous job. The Steelers’ 2023 and 2024 NFL drafts have been among the best in the entire NFL and have yielded multiple starters and potential stars on both sides of the football.

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Steelers must trade for a WR or risk wasting a great offseason

Does the Roman Wilson injury mean the Steelers must trade for a wide receiver?

On Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Roman Wilson went down during training camp practice with a sprained ankle. Typically, a third-round rookie wide receiver getting hurt wouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately, the Steelers are so precariously thin at wide receiver, that losing Roman, even if it’s only for two weeks, could prove to be disastrous.

The Steelers have put so much into this offseason, that it would be a waste not to address wide receiver with so much on the line. We could live with the Steelers going into the season if we assume Wilson could eventually assume a prominent role in the passing game.

However, Wilson losing two weeks of reps puts him way behind. This could force the Steelers to make a move and trade for a wide receiver. It might be the only way to save what has been a very promising offseason and salvage one of the final years with this team’s defensive core still in its prime.

We have been vocal in our praise of General Manager Omar Khan but not viewing the Wilson injury as a wake-up call to make another move would be a huge misstep.

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