Everything — And Nothing — Is On the Table for Steelers Draft Picks

PITTSBURGH STEELERS HEAD COACH MIKE MCCARTHY ALONGSIDE TEAM PRESIDENT ART ROONEY II AND GM OMAR KHAN. (KARL ROSER / PITTSBURGH STEELERS)

In Indianapolis, Omar Khan was backed into a literal corner — but still managed to leave himself wiggle room if needed when it came to answering questions about the Steelers upcoming Draft picks.

Apparently, he has this pre-NFL Draft-process thing figured out.

It was Tuesday morning at the Conrad, in a meeting room just down the hall from where the Philadelphia 76ers were enjoying their breakfast in advance of a game that night against the Pacers in Indy.

Standing with one wall to his left and another to his right, the Steelers’ general manager was asked — given all the attention that’s been paid to the offensive and defensive lines via premium picks in recent NFL Drafts — if the Steelers might be inclined to address positions other than the trenches sooner rather than later this time around.

“I’m gonna stand here and say ‘yes,’” Khan responded. “But I just know when I get closer to the Draft and we see some of those positions, the trenches, and some good players, that we’re probably not gonna shy away from them if they’re good players.”

Consider everything, commit to nothing — at least not until it’s absolutely necessary.

For the Steelers, selecting a wide receiver in the first round this time seems necessary, if not mandatory. For starters, there’s only one quarterback worth drafting in the first round, and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is going first overall.

So a quarterback is out.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS QUARTERBACK AARON RODGERS DURING A REGULAR SEASON GAME BETWEEN THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS AND THE CINCINNATI BENGALS, THURSDAY, OCT. 16, 2025 IN CINCINNATI, OH. | PHOTO BY KARL ROSER/PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers’ most-targeted players at the wide receiver position in January’s 30-6 playoff loss to the Houston Texans were Calvin Austin III (six), DK Metcalf (five), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (five) and Adam Thielen (two).

Thielen has since retired, and only Metcalf among that fearsome foursome is under contract for next season.

So it’s gotta be a wide receiver, right?

Especially after the Steelers invested a first-round pick (offensive tackle Broderick Jones) and a second-round selection (Keeanu Benton) in trench reclamation in 2023, a first (offensive tackle Troy Fautanu), a second (center Zach Frazier) and a fourth (guard Mason McCormick) in 2024, and a first (defensive tackle Derrick Harmon), a fourth (outside linebacker Jack Sawyer) and a fifth (defensive lineman Yahya Black) in 2025.

Except when he wasn’t committing to a skill-position emphasis in the draft with an asterisk, Khan offered up a cryptic and concerning response when asked if Jones, who missed the final six games of the regular season and the playoff loss to Houston due to a neck injury, would be ready for training camp.

“I don’t know,” Khan admitted.

So maybe it’s time to draft an offensive tackle again.

Except Isaac Seumalo, the starting left guard the past three seasons, also isn’t under contract for next season.

So maybe it’s time to draft a first-round guard.

Except one of the reasons the Steelers lost to the Texans as badly as they did in the postseason is they allowed 112 yards on the ground to Houston running back Woody Marks, even with Harmon on the job.

So maybe they need to make a significant investment in a defensive tackle, again.

Complicated, isn’t it?

T.J. WATT | PHOTO BY KARL ROSER/PITTSBURGH STEELERS

It may become less so once veteran free agency commences in March. The Steelers can throw some money at some of those aforementioned positions, which would in turn lessen the need to address them with their first-round pick.

And at least one of those signings will likely be a wide receiver.

There’s also a groundswell of opinion among Draftniks in Indy that this year’s wide receiver class, while deep, lacks Ja’Marr Chase- or Malik Nabers-like talents at the top, so waiting until the second or third round to find a pass-catching solution might prove to be prudent. Which also might nudge Khan and the Steelers toward yet another trench selection.

It wouldn’t be a popular or sexy choice, especially with Pittsburgh hosting the event this April.

I’m guessing it would be quite the letdown for the Terrible Towel twirlers assembled on the North Shore if they hear “With the 21st overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers select … Olaivavega Ioane, guard, Penn State.”

In the event they end up doing just that, or perhaps taking a defensive tackle, don’t say you weren’t warned in advance.