The Pittsburgh Steelers are putting the finishing touches on draft preparation as the 2026 NFL Draft is just three days away from tipping off. The event is going to be exciting as it is being hosted in Pittsburgh, and to add some more excitement to that, Pittsburgh has 12 selections in the event. That is the most selections by any team entering the draft, and some of them should be used to move around the board and to bring in some capital for the 2027 NFL Draft. General Manager Omar Khan has never shied away from trading during the draft, so the fan base is expecting him to be fairly active on the phone.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers' new head coach Mike McCarthy (middle) takes a picture with Team Owner Art Rooney II (left) and General Manager Omar Khan (right).
There have been some murmurs about the Steelers potentially moving up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. That would make more sense than moving down as the franchise can bring in a top prospect while also utilizing some of the 2026 draft capital. The Steelers could move up as high as right around the 15th overall pick without giving up too much, so it is something for Khan to consider.
The general manager spoke to the media on Monday, and he was asked if he thinks there is going to be a lot of movement on Night 1. He gave his take, and he also shared how some changes from the NFL are affecting things.
"You know what, I don't know how it's going to shake out," Khan said. "The one thing that has been interesting is that they moved the first round from 10 minutes to eight minutes, so naturally we've been having, in my opinion, maybe a little bit more conversation than we normally have just to kind of set parameters of what the value is if you move up to a certain spot or trade back. I think there is more conversation, but until we get there, I'm not sure how that's going to go."
Khan mentioned that he has been having more conversation about potential trades due to the fact that teams now have less time to make their selections. This is the first NFL Draft where this has been the case, and it is only happening for the first round of the event. The times to make selections throughout the end of the event have gone unchanged. The league probably did this so that the product is better for television.
Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan walks the field before an NFL football game in 2024.
Khan and other general managers around the league like to use the entirety of the clock when making a pick. This allows for other organizations to inquire about a trade, and now there is less time to do that. That is why Khan mentioned that he and his staff have been thinking about all situations so that they know the necessary values before inquiring with any team about a trade, or before fielding any calls.
This time change is true for the first round, and it will be interesting to see if any teams have any trouble adjusting to this change. It is a minor change on the surface to the fans, but that two minutes can change a lot for those in the draft room.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy giving his introductory press conference alongside Team President Art Rooney II and General Manager Omar Khan.
Steelers' Mike McCarthy Does Not Pity Omar Khan
Khan was eventually asked how he feels about the NFL taking two minutes away from the clock when making a draft pick, and the general manager was not too happy with the fact that he now only has eight minutes.
"Depends who you ask," Khan said. "I'd love to have 10 minutes, but hey, it's the same for everybody else, so eight minutes, it is what it is. But those two minutes, it feels like an eternity, man."
Khan wasn't too upset, and Head Coach Mike McCarthy instantly fired a friendly shot at him about how he only has 40 seconds to call a play. The head coach insisted the general manager would be fine.
What trade would you like to see the Steelers make? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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