First calendar year as a GM. Just give me kind of your thoughts and your assessment.
Sure, Max, obviously I enjoyed the process, but unfortunately, you know, we we I was the season ended with us watching the Chiefs.
Play and win in the Super Bowl, which is.
Where we want to be. So that's disappointing. But you know, it was a good experience. It was it was fun, love the people we did it with, but we understand we got to get better here in your two.
You know, when you think about the twenty twenty three draft class and kind of it looks promising. I mean, we've saw a lot of guys contribute early and often, especially towards the end of the year. I think we saw a good amount of those young kids. Was there anything that kind of stood out in this process at the combine that kind of changed opinion or helped enhance it from this whole entire process.
You know, we, Max, we were.
We take this time in Indie and you know Mobile the East West.
We take this time seriously.
We try to identify the right type of players Steelers, and we think we did that with our draft class. I think that was encouraging about our draft classes that I just felt like the more they play, the better they got, and that's what you want out of a rookie and a young player, and that's encouraging. So we expect these guys to make an even bigger jump from year one to year two.
That's always the process. I mean when you sit down with them, right because you have the train station, you have the actual team interviews, Like what are you looking for in those type of interviews, because you know those guys are been coaching everything, But what are some of the traces you're looking for in those interviews?
Really to get to know them and understand them and get an idea of how we would benefit them and how they would benefit us.
You know, just really getting to know them and as I mentioned.
Earlier, identifying whether they're Steelers and if they can make it better and help us win a championship.
Are there any position groups that stand out to you as being particularly deep this year than probably the year's past to the combine, any group that stands out to you.
Max, I'll tell you this, this is really a good group of players here this year. You know, we last year was outstanding. I'm fortunate, you know, this is the second draft, my second draft, and it's another really good group of players. You know, when you see the some really good corners, some fun playmaking receivers out there.
You know, I'm excited about all the big men.
As you know, big men that can play good football, like yourself, don't really grow on trees. So I'm excited about the group that's here, both offensively and defensively. And you know, ever since I got this job, I said, I I prioritize those how important the offensive line and the defensive line are.
Are to me.
So you know, the running backs is a good group, the inside linebackers, you know, there's some good edge rushers.
It's it's it's really a good group. And I'm I'm looking forward to.
Getting continue to get to know these guys and get in April.
Now, I know you do have a decision to make, and it's around May second. I believe when you have to make the decision for Najie, you.
Have a fifth year option.
Just kind of what goes into that process of making decision whether you want to pick up a fifth year or not a fifth year for for a player.
Sure, lots of conversation and the unique part about this decision is that we have a new offensive coordinator. You know, the system is going to change a little bit. So we're continuing our conversations with Arthur Smith. And you know, we like Nausey a great deal. He's he's a stealer, he represents as well on the field and off the field, and you know, we'll continue the conversation and we'll make that decision before May second.
And kind of along those same lines, I mean, there's only one quarterback on the roster. There's no surprise there that's that's available. Just kind of what's your how do you how do you look at addressing or the process in which you go about filling that because obviously when you go in to camp, you want to have four guys on that.
List, right, I mean you mentioned we have one under contract right now, so we have we have some work to do. You know, there's there's fortunately there's different ways to.
Uh to fill those roster spots. Right.
We can utilize free agency, the draft, there's you know, always.
Trade conversations going on.
So we'll utilize every one of those avenues to try to identify the right.
People for us.
Well, one of those guys in particular, Mason Rudolph obviously finished the year for us, had a good ending to the season. But you know, has there been and I know Art Rooney also said that he would like to have him back. How have y'all started that process? When does that process start for checking for Mason?
Yeah, we've we've already. Mason knows we want to back.
I've had conversation with his representative and those conversations continue, you know.
All right, Well, awesome, Omar, thank you very much. We've been sitting down with Omar Khan, general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers,