Steelers Draft 2024: Takeaways from Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin’s pre-draft press conference

Overall takeaways from the Steelers pre-draft press conference

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan held their pre-draft press conference ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft beginning this Thursday night. In terms of what was said, these were the most notable nuggets.

The Steelers aren’t eager to trade up or down in the draft

Pittsburgh has been labeled as a team that could be a trade target in the first round. Should the Buffalo Bills or Arizona Cardinals, for example, be a team that want to move up, the Steelers will all but certainly get a call sitting at No. 20. Khan said, though, that the Steelers won’t be in a hurry to trade down, noting that if a good player they like is on the board when they are up, they will take him.

This doesn’t rule anything out, obviously, but it does give a small glimpse into the Steelers feeling content with staying put at No. 20.

They want to ‘find Steelers’

Both Tomlin and Khan have highlighted that they want to “Find Steelers” for the future. Khan said that means both as players and what a guy can bring on the field, but as well as who they are as people. Khan highlighted Isaac Seumalo as a perfect example of a guy who they were really high on last offseason and once they brought him in and got to know him, they knew they wanted to sign him.

Patrick Queen said something similar during his introductory press conference, saying that Mike Tomlin told him that he was a Steeler and he needed to come to Pittsburgh. They want high-quality football players, but also high-quality men.

The Steelers ‘aren’t thirsty’ at any particular position

Both Tomlin and Khan noted the work done in free agency and trades to fill positions of need thus far this offseason.

“We’ve addressed a lot of needs,” Tomlin said. “[We] don’t feel overly thirsty in any particular area.”

Most notably, the Steelers added two receivers in free agency in Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins.

Even as it pertains to center, arguably the biggest position of need, Khan said the Steelers “have guys on the roster that have flexibility [to play center.]”

With that said, the Steelers openly said they were confident in Kenny Pickett before signing Russell Wilson. They aren’t going to just completely expose their hand ahead of the draft. Do they like the guys they have in the building? I’m sure they do. However, I’m sure they are also smart enough to realize that Nate Herbig can’t be the Week 1 starter at center. The same way they know that Jefferson and Watkins can’t be, and won’t be, the only moves they make at receiver.