Key Update Puts Steelers' Omar Khan In Exciting Position To Grab Extra First-Round Pick In 2026 NFL Draft

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has to be very proud of the work he did to load up his team with 12 draft picks heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Khan even joked about how his new head coach Mike McCarthy should not be getting used to having such a luxury of draft capital. The joke highlights just how great of a job, and how rare of a chance it is, to have so much capital heading into a draft.

The Miami Dolphins also find themselves with a lot of draft capital, 11 picks to be exact. New Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has seven of his picks in the top 100, while the Steelers have five in the top 100. Both teams are in strong positions heading into the draft, but the sheer volume and quality of picks puts them among the most flexible front offices in the league.

According to NFL insider Cameron Wolfe, the Dolphins want more picks, which now gives Khan the perfect opportunity to gain leverage based on his own draft capital. With both teams armed with multiple early selections, there is growing speculation that the Steelers could explore moving around the board, potentially turning their stockpile into even more value if the right deal presents itself.

"Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan says they are more likely to trade down than trade up in this draft," Wolfe said. "Sully says where they are in the roster building stage where he’d value two good players over one really good player. Dolphins have 11 picks (7 in the top 100) and could seek even more."

With the Steelers holding so much draft capital and the Dolphins hungry to acquire even more, this creates a rare opportunity for Pittsburgh to potentially strike a deal with Miami. The combination of both teams being well-stocked with picks opens the door for meaningful conversations between Khan and Sullivan.

One pick that could be of particular interest is Miami’s No. 30 overall selection in the first round. The Dolphins originally acquired that pick via a trade with the Denver Broncos in the 2026 offseason, making it a valuable late-first-round asset. For Pittsburgh, it represents a realistic pathway back into Day 1 of the draft. 

Steelers Could Use Miami To Help Them Draft A QB

There has been growing noise that Pittsburgh could try to get back into the first round late in order to target a quarterback such as Alabama prospect Ty Simpson. That type of move would be viewed as unpopular and risky, but also highly intriguing given the upside involved.

Simpson’s ceiling is considered all over the place, with evaluators split on how his game will translate to the NFL level. However, his raw talent and developmental traits could make him an appealing swing for a team willing to bet on potential rather than polish. If the Steelers did make that kind of aggressive move, it would signal a willingness to search for a long-term franchise quarterback solution. In that scenario, Simpson would represent both a high-risk gamble and a possible path to stabilizing the position for years to come. The Dolphins could give the Steelers that perfect path.

With both front offices motivated and well-positioned, the Steelers now have a strong chance to identify the perfect trade partner and potentially secure a move back into the opening round. The Dolphins' movements in that first round will be super critical for Steeler Nation to watch as Round 1 unfolds.

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