Steelers' Omar Khan May Seriously Take Pittsburgh's Draft Aggression Way Beyond Kevin Colbert

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to find a way to remain in contention during one of the most tumultuous offseasons in recent history. With the hiring of new head coach Mike McCarthy and bringing in an entirely new coaching staff to support him, the Steelers could be poised to do things people thought impossible in the past. McCarthy was brought in to keep the Steelers competitive, and to ensure this remains the case, Steelers General Manager Omar Khan will potentially be making bold moves with the roster to help McCarthy accomplish his goal.

For Khan to aid McCarthy in accomplishing this goal, he'll have to make some moves that his predecessor at general manager did not do very often. Khan could be preparing to make a bold move during the offseason, something that isn't usually associated with the Steelers and free agency periods.

Speaking on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday afternoon, reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala sat down with the hosts to discuss what she has heard at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine regarding the Steelers and their potential plans for free agency and the draft. As she was talking about the potential moves that the Steelers could make in the draft, she made a very interesting comment that shows the Steelers might be willing to get aggressive for the right player under Khan's leadership.

"I would also caution that, this is the time where you have the opportunity to talk, and find out what you can find out if you do your due diligence," Kinkhabwala said. "And if there's one thing we know about Omar Khan, he's certainly more aggressive than Kevin Colbert, and Kevin Colbert traded up in the first round of the draft three times."

Kinkhabwala's comment on former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert trading up only three times shows how much could potentially change under Khan. If Khan ends up liking a prospect in the draft enough, there's a far greater chance that the Steelers will trade up to acquire this prospect than there would have ever been in the past. Khan has already proven this aggressive mindset by trading up for tackle Broderick Jones in 2023 as one example. 

This should be exciting news, as the potential for acquiring a bigger name in the draft is far more likely now than ever. Khan may also end up making these moves in future years as well, as long as the circumstances line up for the Steelers and their future.

The Steelers have a large amount of holes across the roster that could desperately use a major fix, and Khan may be willing to patch these holes in a more aggressive way than has been seen in past years. The Steelers have also never been in a position to draft one of those true superstar prospects, and have enough draft picks this year to bundle them for a major splash move. 

With the larger amount of cap space the Steelers have this year compared to previous years, this just adds to the reasons why Khan could be in a favorable position to be more aggressive. If he wants to show that he wants to help McCarthy win right out of the gate, being aggressive will be one of the best ways to prove this dedication.

No matter what route the Steelers choose to take if they decide to be aggressive, one very important factor should influence their decisions.

Steelers Need To Retool Offense With Aggressive Moves

If Khan and the Steelers' front office decide that they want to be uncharacteristically aggressive, then these moves should be made to shore up the offense first and foremost. One of the major reasons the Steelers were not able to be true contenders during the 2025 NFL season was an inconsistent offense. If Khan sees a prospect on offense that he really likes, or they are able to work out a trade or deal with a star wide receiver, then hopefully Khan will make the right decision.

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