A review of Omar Khan's first year as the Steelers GM

Khan’s first offseason in charge

The 9-8 record was a mildly disappointing one, as Pittsburgh once again missed the playoffs although they limped to a respectable record. There were a lot of holes that needed to be filled on this roster though heading into the offseason.

I was skeptical of Khan at first, as he stood pat and let Cameron Sutton walk to the Lions. In return, he added Patrick Peterson to a deal. Despite the lower price tag, I  would have rather kept Sutton on his deal. His versatility and fit were a big help for this team, and while Peterson may try to fill that role, I’m not hopeful.

The moves came in quickly during the first few weeks. Back on slightly more expensive deals than I would have liked were Ogunjobi and Damontae Kazee. The other notable names added were Nate Herbig, Isaac Seumalo, Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, and Keanu Neal. No deal broke the bank.

Where Khan really seemed to shine was his focus on constant depth-building. He signed a multitude of names to near-minimum contracts. While this was also a practice during the Colbert tenure, Khan seemed more willing to keep adding to positions even if those players weren’t likely to make the roster. Names like Le’Raven Clark and Tanner Muse stick out in this case.

What this does is provide a lot of flexibility for the team. Cheap depth adds competition which naturally brings the best out of all players. While quite a few of those players missing the roster could impact a player's willingness to sign in the future, I don’t foresee it being a huge deal.

The trades didn’t stop either, as the Steelers moved back in the seventh round to acquire veteran receiver Allen Robinson. While I don’t anticipate Robinson returning to form this year, he provides the big-slot role this team likes and a good veteran presence in the locker room.