Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan approach the 2023 NFL Draft with no “glaring needs”

The 2023 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday evening, and all 32 organizations are putting the final touches on their rankings and big boards to ensure they are as prepared as possible before the draft picks start flying off the board.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are no different, but there is one huge difference with the Steelers in 2023 and it is the absence of Kevin Colbert. The General Manager (GM) of the Steelers for over two decades stepped down after last year’s draft, and Omar Khan and Andy Weidl have taken over.

Will things change? Or will it remain the same?

As is customary for the Steelers, Mike Tomlin and the GM, in this case Khan, met with the media Monday and not only talked about the upcoming crop of players in the draft, but also fielded questions from the media.

This is the first time since Tomlin took over the team in 2007 they will have the first pick in any round during the draft. Tomlin spoke several times about how excited he is about that No. 32 pick and what it could mean for teams who want to move up.

Later in the press conference Tomlin and Khan spoke about how they will have been in contact with all 31 other NFL teams prior to Thursday and gotten a feel for their plans on moving up or back in the draft. Tomlin also added how the teams who are “quarterback needy” might want to move up to take a player they like who possibly slips to the start of Day 2.

While the possibility of trading back in the draft is appealing for a lot of fans, Tomlin didn’t rule out moving up in the first round, or any point in the draft, to get a player they pinpoint as someone who might be “special”.

However, the overall approach tot the draft is what should be exciting for fans of the black-and-gold everywhere. Due to the front office’s work in free agency, the team doesn’t have any glaring needs heading into the 3-day selection process.

Ultimately, what happens on draft night is purely reactionary to the other teams in the draft. If there is a run on quarterbacks, or a team like the Arizona Cardinals trades their first round pick, it could turn the draft on its head. If that happens, the Steelers seem prepared for whatever comes their way.

But when it comes to trades, this front office is open to it...both trading up, and back.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of the NFL offseason.

For a complete rundown of MIke Tomlin and Omar Khan’s time with the media, check out SCN’s Press Conference Recap podcast below: