The Steelers must have their first round of interviews with potential GM candidates completed for those under contract with another team before March 1. After that, they can't speak to those under contract with another team until after the draft in April.
Saturday, they announced they had completed three more interviews with outside candidates, adding Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz, 49ers director of player personnel Ran Carthon and Eagles vice president of player personnel Andy Weidl to their lengthy list of those interviewed.
That brings the total candidates the team has spoken with to 12 with another pending.
Previously, the team interviewed Packers co-director of player personnel John Wojciechowski, Colts college scouting director Morocco Brown, Panthers assistant G.M. Dan Morgan, Buccaneers vice president of player personnel John Spytek, Titans vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden, Colts assistant G.M. Ed Dodds and Chargers director of player personnel JoJo Wooden. Steelers vice president of football and business administration Omar Khan and pro personnel coordinator Brandon Hunt also have been interviewed.
ESPN analyst and former Eagles front office employee Louis Riddick also is expected to interview, but the Steelers don't have to do that formally until after March 1 because he's not employed by another NFL team.
Hortiz just completed his 19th season with the Ravens and heads the team's college scouting program. He is a graduate of Auburn, where he also began his career as an assistant coach.
Carthon played three seasons in the NFL with the Colts, becoming a scout in 2008 with the Falcons. He was director of pro personnel with the Rams from 2012 through 2016, serving the same role with the 49ers since 2017.
Weidl, a Pittsburgh native, began his career as a player personnel assistant with the Steelers in 1998. He left in 2000 to join the Saints scouting department, then moved on to the Ravens from 2005 through 2013. The Eagles hired him in 2016.
The Steelers don't plan to hire a new GM until after the draft when current GM Kevin Colbert's contract runs out. Colbert, who has been with the team since 2000, would like to stay on with the team in an advisory capacity.
