Insider Floats Creative Idea For Steelers' Contract Extension With Nick Herbig

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a heck of a run during the 2023 NFL Draft. That was Omar Khan's first opportunity to be the top decision-maker in the front office, and he did not disappoint. The main problem with having a class as good as that one is that organizations find themselves scrambling to try and extend as many productive players as possible a couple of years down the line. The brass in the Steel City is currently facing this during the 2026 offseason. Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton, Darnell Washington and Nick Herbig all have a case to make when it comes to negotiations.

Pittsburgh has always been a franchise that appreciates drafting and then developing players. After this occurs, successful contributors are rewarded with favorable second contracts. It seems as if Porter is the clear favorite to land a big payday, but there have been some concerns about the likes of guys like Washington and Herbig.

The Steelers' edge rusher room is stacked. There is a lot of money already invested into a pair of dynamic players, so this is where it might get specifically complicated for someone like Herbig. Team beater writer Mark Kaboly went into detail about the predicament facing the organization during a recent piece he posted on social media.

"Herbig seems like a slam-dunk priority on the surface, but I feel that the Steelers are going to have to convince Herbig with maybe a creative approach to a contract to be able to get it done before the start of the season," Kaboly wrote. "He’s only 24, which allows another contract past this one, but on the flip side, he’s only made $3.3 million in career earnings so far." 

The beat writer decided to get creative. There's no telling if Herbig's camp would be willing to engage in talks that didn't include a long-term extension, but if the defender wants to stay with the Steelers, there is a simple solution to make that happen.

"With T.J. Watt and Jack Sawyer signed for three more years and Alex Highsmith for two, you can see a window where the Steelers would love to slide Herbig into as the top edge rusher," Kaboly noted. "The issue is how to do that now and not expose him to the free agency market next year? Maybe a 2-year deal worth $30 million is doable in the intern, but it might be difficult to convince Herbig to agree to that."

Once Alex Highsmith plays out his contract, Herbig's hypothetical short-term extension would be set to expire. Then, the edge rusher would be line for a massive deal at just 26 years of age if he continues to perform at a high level.

This kind of approach gives Herbig a very big pay raise, but also takes into account that there is already a ton of money invested into a stacked edge rushers' room. If the Steelers would be capable of pulling it off, the defense would undoubtedly be set for several more seasons.

It's hard to predict whether or not Herbig would be open to signing something worth $15 million per year, but he runs the risk of having a down season in 2026 and hitting the free agent market without many bargaining chips. It's a fascinating situation that should be interesting to watch play out as training camp and meaningful football approach.

Steelers Are Currently Working Through Good Problems To Have

Drafting well is not something that should punish an organization, but it might with Pittsburgh. There are four individuals from the 2023 draft class that could be in line for extensions, however, it's possible that only two end up actually end up putting pen to paper. Herbig seems like a slam-dunk priority, but he is in a crowded room and could have aspirations to set his legacy elsewhere, while also cashing in on a massive deal in 2027.

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