Omar Khan has been around the business long enough to avoid tipping his hand. In some ways, he’s even more tight-lipped than former general manager Kevin Colbert, a pro at dancing around questions and giving indirect answers. But one running theme of Khan’s Tuesday media sessions was the urgency and emphasis on adding playmakers to boost an underwhelming Steelers’ offense.
On multiple occasions, Khan stressed the need using that exact word. Playmaker.
“Based on how the season ended last year, I mean the reality is we gotta get more playmakers. We all recognize that,” Khan said on the podium at the NFL Combine.
He repeated the goal in a one-on-one interview with NFL Network’s Judy Battista.
“You can’t have enough playmakers. I think that’s, you guys watched us last year. We obviously need more playmakers.”
His comments certainly won’t shock the masses. Pittsburgh’s offense struggled to create big plays consistently throughout the season and collapsed down the stretch after hints of mid-season success, especially in Russell Wilson’s first handful of starts.
The wide receiver room consisted of a volatile George Pickens, the occasional Calvin Austin III big play, and mot much else. The running game plateaued and failed to create big runs the back half of the season even after RB Jaylen Warren and the offensive line got healthy.
From Weeks 15-18, Pittsburgh tied with the Cleveland Browns for fewest completions of 20-plus yards with just six of them. Examining runs of 10-plus yards over the same timeframe, the Steelers had a respectable 15 of them but five came from QB Russell Wilson scrambles. Only two runs reached 20 yards, both coming during garbage time in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Obvious as it’s been, the Steelers can’t send up any stronger signals of adding a No. 2 receiver opposite George Pickens. Art Rooney II said it and Khan repeated it Tuesday. Not only will that diversify the passing game, it will offer injury (and headache) protection against Pickens, entering the final year of his rookie deal.
How Pittsburgh adds those playmakers, and how many they add, is up for debate. I’ve maintained a veteran wide receiver will be acquired through sign or trade and nothing Khan said today dissuades me from that. Adding a running back in the draft is reasonable and Khan’s language around Najee Harris makes it sound likely he won’t return. Could Pittsburgh double-dip at wideout? Is a top-end tight end in a deep class completely off the table? Based on the wide net Khan’s comments cast, nothing should be discounted.
