Steelers Reportedly Fielded Calls To Potentially Trade Expensive Defender

The 2025 NFL trade deadline for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the other 31 professional teams has officially come and gone. It was a pretty wild day overall, specifically for the New York Jets. When the clock struck 4 pm ET on Tuesday, General Manager Omar Khan ended up being hesitant to pass along a plethora of draft capital, and the organization ended up not improving the roster. There was a deal that went through to acquire Kyle Dugger days prior, but overall, many fans were disappointed that a wide receiver or cornerback was not brought into the fold. Those areas will be ones to keep an eye on.

While the Steelers were certainly considered to be in the buying mode at the deadline, it didn't necessarily mean the franchise had to keep every asset that it had on the current roster. Depending on the right offer, any front office can be convinced to do something unexpected, which is what fans everywhere experienced after the Jets traded Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts.

An individual that happened to be one to pay attention to in the Steel City was Alex Highsmith. The edge rusher had a phenomenal outing in Week 9 and it earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. That performance, combined with the rise of Nick Herbig, could have led one to believe that Highsmith's trade value was at an all-time high. According to team reporter Chris Halicke, NFL organizations were inquiring about the defender.

"There was also no consideration to trade current players on the roster, though teams did call about Alex Highsmith," Halicke wrote. "Khan wasn't willing to make any move that made one position better, but weakened another. If a move was going to be made, it was going to make the 2025 team better. And, giving away assets for a return that isn't guaranteed to provide any return beyond 2025 was also something Khan really didn't want to do."

The idea that other general managers felt the need to reach out about Highsmith speaks volumes about what the league believes the Steelers are thinking when it comes to the defense. Khan would be wise not to give up a key asset that could help deliver a playoff win (or multiple) in 2025, but once the 2026 offseason rolls around, it could be a completely different story due to Highsmith's hefty contract.

Professional football is a business first and while Highsmith may be a great individual who has earned a lot of respect from his coaches and teammates, Herbig's splash play ability cannot be ignored. On top of that, Herbig will be eligible to sign a new deal come the new league year in March of 2026. If organizations were already calling about Highsmith even though the Steelers were potential contenders, an offseason of negotiations could lead to something getting done.

Pittsburgh is not heavily known for parting ways with players that it drafted before their contracts are up. Typically, these contributors get recognized and rewarded. Highsmith did feel that with his financially-friendly contract, but he may be making a little bit too much for Khan's liking, especially when Herbig may have to get paid. It's clear that the team believes Highsmith will play a vital role in 2025, but other front offices may be calling once again come 2026.

Steelers Will Have Ability To Add Edge Rusher Depth If Highsmith Is Traded

Pittsburgh has not been bad when drafting edge rushers recently. Highsmith, Herbig and TJ Watt are all great examples of this. Jack Sawyer is also involved, which will make it a little bit easier to part with Highsmith if it comes down to that. Khan and co. are projected to have over 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, and that is where Highsmith's replacement can be taken if he is dealt.

Do you think that the Steelers should have entertained trading Highsmith at the deadline? Let us know in the comments below!

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