Steelers GM Omar Khan not a fan of new NFL Draft rules
· Yahoo Sports
Pittsburgh takes center stage for the NFL world on Thursday as the draft officially begins on the North Shore.
The Steelers own the No. 21 pick for the second consecutive year and could be looking to make a splash in front of their home crowd.
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Wide receiver, guard, and tackle are three of the biggest positions of need identified for the Steelers after the ensuing wave of free agency. The need for a left tackle intensified on Monday after ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that starting left tackle Broderick Jones suffered a setback with his neck injury suffered last year. Jones’ status remains up in the air for training camp and the start of the season. Could the Steelers trade up for an impactful wide receiver, a starting left guard, or another tackle to add into the mix? General Manager Omar Khan is not ruling anything out.
“All options are on the table. We’re open to whatever’s best for the Steelers,” Khan said at the Steelers pre-draft press conference.
Khan said that he will have a better feel for potential deals once the draft starts.
Five teams have traded away their first-round picks heading into Thursday and could be the makings of a very active first 32 picks outside Acrisure Stadium.
If he does decide to make a move, Khan will have less time to act than in years before.
The NFL implemented a new timing system for the first round, shorting the amount of time teams have on the clock from 10 minutes to eight.
“They moved the first round from 10 minutes to eight minutes, so naturally we’ve had a little more conversation to set parameters for what the value is if you move up to this spot or move back,” Khan said. “There’s more conversation, but until we get there, I’m not sure how that’s going to go.”
Khan said he would love to still have 10 minutes on the clock, but that every team is dealing with the same change. McCarthy joked that if he can call a play in 40 seconds the Steelers will be fine dealing with the eight minute time clock.
The last time the Steelers traded up in the first round was in 2023, moving three spots to select Broderick Jones 14th overall. They only needed to deal a fourth-round pick to finish the deal with the New England Patriots. Pittsburgh has made notable draft-day trades in the past, including moving up 11 spots to pick Troy Polamalu in 2003. They’ve also missed on players they traded up for, including moving up 10 spots for Devin Bush in 2019.
The Steelers have 12 picks at their disposal, the most in the NFL. The organization has a good opportunity to make moves at some point in the draft.
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