The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most loaded position groups in the NFL when it comes to the outside linebacker position. The edge rushers are off the charts, especially when the top two in the room are TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. Highsmith is underrated and underpaid when comparing his production on the field to his yearly salary, and that is just a general feeling from how he is talked about around the league. Behind those two is Nick Herbig, who would probably be a starter on any other team in the league. Jack Sawyer rounds out the room, and he progressed throughout his rookie year in 2025.
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Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig (51) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
The Steelers are in a bit of a predicament when it comes to this position. Watt and Highsmith already carry a huge cap hit, mostly because of Watt after he signed a new extension ahead of the 2025 season. A lot of money is committed to the position already, but Herbig is eligible for an extension during the 2026 offseason as he just finished up his third season in the league. He has one year remaining on his rookie deal, and he probably is going to want to be paid a decent amount. The issue is he does not get as many opportunities or playing time as he is behind Watt and Highsmith.
Beat writer Mark Kaboly went on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday, and he was asked about what is going to happen with that whole situation.
"I’d give him something like a two-year deal and say, 'Hey man, after these two years, TJ is done, that’s when we will really pay you the cash,'" Kaboly explained. "It’s hard for a guy like Herbig, who was a fourth-round pick, something like that, if they throw $25 million at you for two years and say $14 million guaranteed. It’s hard to deny that, especially for a guy who is 23, almost 24. I guess what I’m saying is the ball is really in Herbig’s court."
The Steelers are going to want to keep Herbig around, which means a deal would need to be struck before the 2026 season. The organization does not normally conduct contractual business during the regular season. If a deal between the two sides is not agreed to prior to the start of the 2026 regular season, Herbig would probably hit free agency next year.
Peter Joneleit / Associated Press
Steelers edge rusher Nick Herbig makes a move on a Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman during a professional football game.
Herbig is in a weird spot. He could likely make a lot of money elsewhere, but that would involve him passing up on a contract offer from Pittsburgh during the 2026 offseason so that he could make a big payday in free agency during the 2027 offseason. That would be risky as anything could happen during the 2026 season. He could get hurt, or his play could completely take a step backwards.
The two-year deal that Kaboly would be proposing would allow Herbig to make more than he ever has, while also giving him a chance to hit the open market again within the near future. That deal would expire when he is roughly 26 years old, and he could still earn a big payday from Pittsburgh or elsewhere. The other incentive of a deal like this would be that Watt and/or Highsmith could be gone by then, and he would be the main guy at the position.
Nick Smith / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig makes a tackle during Pittsburgh's 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12 of the 2025 NFL season.
Steelers' Nick Herbig Has Continued To Improve
Herbig has gotten better in each year of his career, which is another reason why the Steelers need to find a way to get a deal done with him before the 2026 season begins. If he has the best season of his career, he could earn even more money in free agency during the 2027 offseason. That would make it more difficult to retain him for the Steelers, and it would mean Herbig moving onto another team.
What do you think the Steelers should do at outside linebacker? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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