While Omar Khan was praised for navigating the Pittsburgh Steelers offseason, not everyone is loving the results. NBC Sports’ Patrick Daugherty released his annual general manager rankings, a list Kevin Colbert usually finished near the top. For Khan, he’s not even average. Daugherty ranked Khan just 19th out of 27 qualifiers, excluding first-time GMs with no track record to go off of. While Khan’s ranking was low, Daugherty’s analysis struck a more optimistic tone.
“Kevin Colbert left Omar Khan…Kenny Pickett. That means Khan is going to be graded on a curve for the foreseeable future, but he’s already made one great quarterback decision: Cutting his losses with Kenny. Pickett has been shipped out for a bag of footballs while Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have been brought in on the cheap to try to create some semblance of post-Roethlisberger momentum.”
Arguably, Colbert’s biggest mistake was hanging on as general manager through the 2022 NFL Draft instead of departing immediately after the 2021 season. That’s the approach other GMs who stepped down took. Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore, Ted Thompson in Green Bay. But Colbert seemed intent on leaving his successor a first-round quarterback, choosing Pickett 20th overall. It proved to be the wrong selection, and Khan traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. It wasn’t a move Khan anticipated, Pickett requested to be dealt, but it’s the right move to try and move the franchise forward. Now, Khan gets to work with the quarterbacks he targeted.
Khan’s two draft classes have been successful or at least have such an appearance. His ’23 group of OT Broderick Jones, CB Joey Porter Jr., and NT Keeanu Benton enjoyed strong rookie seasons, while fourth-round OLB Nick Herbig looks like a gem. Draftniks praised what the Steelers did in 2024, getting great value with OT Troy Fautanu and C Zach Frazier in the first two rounds as the team went all-in on improving the offensive line.
Khan has a shorter list of negative moves. Handing out a three-year extension to DL Larry Ogunjobi in 2023 was questionable, to say the least. The team hasn’t replaced Diontae Johnson after trading him away to the Carolina Panthers. And after a flurry of early free agency moves this year, the Steelers’ offseason additions went quiet.
Daughtery’s list places Khan barely ahead of New York Jets’ GM Joe Douglas, the Atlanta Falcons’ Terry Fontenot, and Chicago Bears’ Ryan Poles. Three men who could be fired if their seasons go sideways. The worst-ranked general manager is the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trent Baalke, whose team collapsed down the stretch a season ago and has underachieved since drafting QB Trevor Lawrence. The top spot is occupied by Andy Reid and Brett Veach of the Kansas City Chiefs, looking to win their third-straight Super Bowl in 2024.
Ultimately, what may be holding Khan back is the lack of postseason success. He’s only two years on the job, and winning in the NFL isn’t easy. But, like quarterbacks, general managers held in high regard have a playoff track record. The Steelers are looking for their first postseason win since 2016. That certainly doesn’t all lay at the feet of Khan. Most of the drought isn’t on his record, but it’ll be the determining factor in Khan moving up rankings like these. Not that he cares about his slot.
