Steelers Already Facing Major Problem That Could Force Nick Herbig Out Of Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most dominant edge rushing groups in the entire NFL. A trio of TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig is as scary as they come. The organization has drafted the position very successfully over the years, which unfortunately has led to a problematic situation that no one really has a solution for. With both Watt and Highsmith under very expensive contracts, Herbig is preparing to enter his fourth season. This would put him in line for a payday as well, but there are plenty of financial ramifications because of how well that area of the depth chart is compensated.

Pittsburgh could take a massive risk and avoid extending Herbig. He has not started nearly as many games in his career as he probably would have liked due to the presences of Watt and Highsmith. However, the defender has performed well and created splash play after splash play when given the opportunity. If there is an injury early on in the 2026 campaign and Herbig rises to the occasion, his price tag could rise significantly.

Teams around the league are also already aware of his abilities. If the Steelers attempt to low-ball him with an offer, his camp may decide it is best to test the free agency market in 2027. This might lead to long-lasting negative effects in the Steel City. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently pointed this out, and noted that General Manager Omar Khan and the front office could have a serious issue developing.

"Extending Herbig could be a problem because edge rushers get a lot of attention in free agency, even ones who aren’t starters," Dulac wrote. "And Herbig, who enters his fourth season, might want to take advantage of that."

Edge rushers are getting paid tons of money throughout the NFL. These playmakers have an incredible way of wrecking games, so someone is going to pay up for Herbig in 2027 if the Steelers don't at some point in the 2026 offseason. The main issue for Khan and co. is that there is already so much financial commitment to the position.

"But with $62 million of the salary cap already devoted to Watt ($42 million) and Highsmith ($20 million), what can the Steelers allocate for Herbig? And what would he be willing to accept to keep him from the open market," Dulac noted.

There is always the possibility that the team could trade either Watt or Highsmith, but it seems as if that is unlikely based on the duo's rapport and production. Herbig won't settle for a second contract that he views as underwhelming. The franchise tag is always an option; however, that will be a pretty steep price to pay based on the edge rusher market.

Drafting well isn't always smooth sailing for NFL teams. At some point, difficult decisions have to be made and that's exactly what the Steelers are facing with Herbig. Despite his solid production in limited action, he has also been somewhat injury-prone. With two established starters, it's tough to make the decision about which one should be left out of the future plans.

It always is possible that the front office finds a way to make the money work, but that could lead to almost $100 million tied up in one positional group. It's doable without an expensive quarterback on the books; however, it'd be a very unique approach.

Steelers Would Be Making A Big Mistake Letting Herbig Go

There are a lot of different avenues that could be taken in Pittsburgh when it comes to Herbig, but the front office is playing with a little bit of fire. The fan base will never forgive Khan and co. If Watt and Highsmith stay and end up slowing down and Herbig moves on to become a consistent Pro Bowler, there will be a lot of angry folks in the Steel City.

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