Developing their share of rush linebackers going back to the Greg Lloyd/Chad Brown days, the Steelers have produced a protracted string of talent at this position. Nick Herbig is Pittsburgh’s latest OLB success story, and despite a history as a part-time starter, the previous fourth-round pick received an eye-opening extension this week.
The Steelers gave Herbig a four-year, $100MM extension, one which matches the deal Odafe Oweh received from the Commanders in March. Herbig, 24, is now signed through the 2030 season. His signing has generated obvious questions on the long-term statuses of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Teams don’t make a habit of carrying three lucrative edge rusher contracts on payrolls. As our Connor Byrne noted when discussing the Herbig extension Tuesday, the Steelers are spending a combined $84MM in AAV at edge rusher. Only the Texans ($96MM) outpace them, and Houston just authorized a record-smashing $50MM-per-year payday for Will Anderson Jr. and one other extension for Danielle Hunter. Each those players have every-down roles in Houston, whereas Pittsburgh’s outlook is historically unusual.
While the Steelers once rostered All-Pros Lloyd, Brown, Jason Gildon and Hall of Famer Kevin Greene without delay (1994-95), Brown and Gildon were developing on rookie contracts behind the lead ‘backers before Greene’s 1996 free agency exit; Brown then left as a 1997 FA. Highsmith also overlapped with Bud Dupree‘s franchise-tag 12 months (2020), however the Steelers gave the younger player a key promotion a 12 months later.
No other team is even carrying three edge rushers beyond $11MM — the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby–Kwity Paye–Malcolm Koonce trio that actually was not designed to play together (attributable to the Ravens’ scrapped agreement to amass Crosby) — the Steelers have Watt on a $41MM-AAV extension and Highsmith at $17MM per 12 months. Highsmith is signed through the 2027 season, Watt through 2028.
Even with Herbig’s extension inviting speculation about Pittsburgh offloading certainly one of its more experienced vets, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport said during a Pat McAfee Show appearance the team is anticipated to maintain all three on its roster in 2026. Watt is not going to be traded, Rapoport said definitively, and Highsmith might be expected to be a part of his seventh Steelers roster. After 2026, the Steelers likely have a choice to make. The Browns just traded Myles Garrett to presumably assist in their pursuit of a long-term quarterback answer; Watt or Highsmith would function Steelers aid if/when certainly one of them is dealt.
Re-signed before the Ravens backed out of their Crosby trade agreement, Koonce can also be on a one-year deal. His $11MM AAV got here into the week because the NFL’s highest so far as No. 3 edge rushers go. The Commanders even have Dorance Armstrong on a three-year, $30MM deal — one which sits behind, by way of AAV, Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson — in third place amongst edge rushers on their payroll. The Seahawks just prolonged Derick Hall to go along with DeMarcus Lawrence ($10.8MM per 12 months) and Uchenna Nwosu ($9.8MM AAV). The Steelers carrying Watt’s upper-crust contract and now two other lucrative deals separates this case from those and nearly another EDGE setup before it.
Herbig’s cap numbers should not yet known, but Steelers deals are typically clean. It must be expected Herbig can have a lower cap figure in 2026 before the extension bumps up his 2027 number. While that can seemingly make a move likely before the 2027 season, Herbig’s lower cap hit this 12 months points to the Steelers (per McAfee staffer Mark Kaboly) coping with that problem after the season and keeping the Watt-Highsmith-Herbig troika together for an additional 12 months.
Highsmith, 29 in August, got here up in trade rumors just before the draft. But those were quickly squashed. Coming off a 9.5-sack season, Highsmith is on a team-friendly contract that doesn’t include any remaining guarantees. Watt’s three-year, $123MM extension comprises fully guaranteed money in 2026 and ’27. The long run Hall of Famer hopes to play several more seasons.
Watt, 31, managed just seven sacks in 14 games last season. But labeling him a declining player seems premature. He joins Cameron Heyward as Steelers front-seven cornerstones, with Herbig’s contract elevating him to such status as well.
No member of the trio has logged greater than 10 snaps (per Pro Football Focus) as an inside D-lineman in a season. Watt did say (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams) he expects to maneuver around in Patrick Graham‘s defense, but it surely stays to be seen if the Steelers will find ways to have all three well-paid rushers on the sector together. This looks to be a 2026-only problem, and teams will likely be calling about Highsmith and Watt before 2027. For now, the Steelers have certainly one of the NFL’s more interesting positional plans because of Herbig’s extension.