4 moves that turned Omar Khan from Steelers GM to a ‘Khan Artist’

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Omar Khan as the team’s new GM on May 26, 2022. With a full year of “firsts” officially in the books, including his first regular season as GM in 2022, as well as his first NFL Draft and free agency period, Khan’s earned himself a nickname with the number of elite moves, lovingly referred to as the “Khan Artist”.

Here are Omar Khan’s top-four moves as GM since taking over for former Steelers GM Kevin Colbert back in 2022.

4. Trading OL Kendrick Green to the Texans

Not only did Khan solve the problem that was Kendrick Green’s place with the Steelers franchise. He also got compensation back! Green’s place on the final 53-man roster was very much in question ahead of the roster cut deadline. However, instead of going on the outs via roster cuts, Khan orchestrated a trade to send Green to the Texans in exchange for a 2025 sixth round pick.

Though it’s a late pick, having received anything in exchange for a player unlikely to make the roster is a huge W, especially if Khan finds some value in the draft (as it appears he did in 2023).

3. Executing 2024, 2025 pick swaps with the Rams in exchange for OL Kevin Dotson

It seems that part of what makes the Khan artist such an artist is his ability to swindle value out of players that otherwise had questionable value to the Steelers. The terms of the trade included a swap of picks with the Rams in the 2024 NFL Draft (Steelers get Rams 4th, Rams get Steelers 5th) and 2025 NFL Drafts (Steelers get Rams 5th, Rams get Steelers 6th).

What has the potential to make this a monumental trade for the Steelers is the state of the Rams franchise, specifically, with one of the youngest rosters in the league and very little experience on the defense potentially setting them up for picks at the top of each round in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Rams have the fifth-worst odds in the league to win the Super Bowl 58, with their win total at 6.5 regular season games on DraftKings Sportsbook. If the Steelers enjoy a postseason run this season, it could have them moving up nearly a round and a half thanks to Khan’s artistry.

2. Signing OG Isaac Seumalo

The Steelers have been on a mission to revitalize the offensive line over the past couple of seasons, but there might not be any move set to make as significant an impact as Isaac Seumalo will at left guard. He heads into his eighth NFL season having ranked 12th among all offensive guards with a 77.7 PFF pass-blocking grade dating back to the 2019 season.

Among 30 guards with 1,750 pass blocking snaps in that span, Seumalo ranked bottom 10 with 86 total pressures allowed and 11 QB hits. Khan signed him to a three-year, $24 million contract that ranks 18th among guards in terms of average annual value. With a lot of young offensive line depth, Seumalo could be an absolute anchor for several years to come.

1. The Great Chase Claypool Heist of 2022

Coming out of Notre Dame, WR Chase Claypool’s combination of size and athleticism had some teams enamored with his potential. His size and physicality were, to be quite honest, probably exactly what the Steelers have now found in second-round receiver George Pickens. The Steelers selected Claypool with the 17th pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but had disappointed since a breakout rookie season with 873 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Khan executed a trade with the Bears just ahead of the NFL trade deadline, sending Claypool in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick, which would have been a great deal in and of itself. What made this trade even better, however, was that the Bears actually held two second-round picks, and Khan secured the one belonging specifically to Chicago... who went on to finish dead last in the NFL with a 3-14 record to secure the No. 1 overall pick. The Bears, in fact, didn’t register a single win following the trade for Claypool.

In turn, Chicago’s disastrous season ensured the Steelers would receive the first pick in the second round of the draft, which was technically the 32nd overall pick thanks to a forfeited selection from the Miami Dolphins. Absolutely. Freakin’. Brilliant.