The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy throughout the 2026 offseason, and it has seemed as though the organization has been in the headlines ever since the 2025 season came to a close. A lot of that had to do with the near complete coaching overhaul that occurred, as well as the Aaron Rodgers saga which the franchise put itself through for the second offseason in a row. General Manager Omar Khan addressed a lot of the weaknesses on the team however, and he has also been busy getting new deals done with players already on the roster.
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Steelers edge rusher Nick Herbig begins to sprint forward as he goes through a workout while the team practice during 2025 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
So far in the 2026 offseason, the Steelers have extended kicker Chris Boswell, outside linebacker Nick Herbig, and tight end Darnell Washington. All three players were deserving of their new deals, although the value of Herbig's contract might have been surprising to some people. He signed a four-year deal worth $100 million, with $42 million being guaranteed. Pittsburgh extended TJ Watt before the 2025 season, and Alex Highsmith is under contract through the 2027 season. That means the franchise has a ton of money committed at outside linebacker.
Albert Breer recently discussed the new deal for Herbig, and he spoke about what this means for the rest of the room in a recent article for SI.
"For 2026, it’s a decent problem to have," Breer wrote. "All played a significant number of the defensive snaps last year: Watt was at 69.8% while missing three games; Highsmith was at 54.5% and missed four games; Herbig was at 54.4% and missed two games; and [Jack] Sawyer was at 25.3% and played in every game). It should keep the heat on everyone to perform, and give new DC Patrick Graham a lot to be creative with. And after that, well, the bottleneck of talent certainly makes things interesting."
There is no denying that the room is crowded with Watt, Highsmith, Herbig, and second-year player Jack Sawyer. All made great plays during the 2025 season, but the extension of Herbig has sparked some trade rumors around Highsmith and Watt, although it doesn't seem like either player will get dealt before the 2026 season.
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Steelers' TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith and company stand on the field during Friday Night Lights.
It has been reported that the Steelers intend on playing things out with the four outside linebackers currently on the roster, and none of the high-earners at the position will be dealt. The interesting point about what Breer wrote is that the top three players in that room making big money incentivizes them all to perform well, and it keeps the pressure on each individual player. That could be a benefit for the Steelers as the team could see individual production increase, which will only help the defense improve as a whole.
Pittsburgh also plans to have Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig on the field together more often in 2026, which is something that was done in a limited capacity in 2025. It is unclear how that will happen, but it is something to look forward to for Steelers fans.
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Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy stands on the field and looks off into the distance as he watches players take part in rookie minicamp during a workout in Pittsburgh, PA.
Steelers Have To Have Great Depth At Outside Linebacker
Watt, Highsmith, Herbig, and Sawyer have all been great, but Sawyer was the only one that could play in every game for the Steelers in 2025. Watt missed some time, although it was not his fault that he suffered a collapsed lung. Highsmith and Herbig both missed time with soft tissue injuries, which has been a reoccurring problem for both of those players. The missed time in 2025 makes it even more important that the team has three studs at outside linebacker, which is why this extension was so important.
What do you think about this thought from Breer? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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