The Pittsburgh Steelers were going to have a big offseason in 2026, and that became clear very shortly after the 2025 season ended for the franchise. Mike Tomlin stepped down almost immediately, which brought in a near-entirely new coaching staff for the franchise, and on top of that there were going to be a fair amount of roster changes. The front office also had to make some decisions when it came to a few contract situations, including extensions for a handful of players from the 2023 NFL Draft class. Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton are still awaiting potential deals, but everyone else that made sense earned multi-year deals.
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Steelers edge rusher Nick Herbig begins to sprint forward as he goes through a workout while the team practices during 2025 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
One of the players from the 2023 class that signed a new extension is outside linebacker Nick Herbig. This came as a surprise to some people as TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith are already making a ton of money, but Herbig is a productive young player that cannot be lost. He signed a four-year, $100 million deal with $42 million guaranteed. He will now make more than Highsmith, which has sparked some debate as Highsmith is the starter while Herbig has come off the bench and been more of a rotational player.
Many fans have questioned the future of Highsmith in Pittsburgh as he has just two years left on his deal. Beat writer Mark Kaboly was on 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning where he was asked what the future might look like at the position in Pittsburgh.
"It's going to be one of those two's last season," Kaboly said of Watt and Highsmith. "If I'm going to be honest, it doesn't look good for [Highsmith]."
Highsmith is currently under contract through the 2027 season after signing a four-year, $68 million extension. He is going to be on the roster in 2026 barring some unexpected trade, but his dead cap charge in 2027 is just over $5 million. The organization will be able to move on from him for cap purposes, and that contract also becomes very tradable at that point with just one year remaining on the deal.
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Steelers' Alex Highsmith at practice with Jack Sawyer and TJ Watt during the 2026 offseason.
After Herbig signed his deal, the fan base seems to just be writing Highsmith off. The reality of the situation is that Highsmith was probably one of Pittsburgh's best defenders during the 2025 season when he was healthy. He disrupts run plays and consistently gets pressures in the backfield, and he is a big reason for Watt's successes over the years.
Kaboly went on to speak on how if Watt has another down year, the organization could look to move on from him rather than Highsmith. That would be much more difficult due to the extension that Watt signed prior to the 2025 season. The belief is also that Watt will be able to partially return to his old self. That doesn't mean breaking the single-season sack record, but maybe returning to 12-15 sacks and a few forced turnovers.
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Steelers' Alex Highsmith celebrates with Payton Wilson during a home win over the Indianapolis Colts in 2025.
Steelers Should Also Have Injury Concerns With Alex Highsmith
All three of Pittsburgh's top outside linebackers have missed some time over the last two seasons, but Highsmith has only played in 24 regular season games over the last two years. Pittsburgh is going to want to see a full season out of him in 2026, and that missed time is a big reason that Herbig was able to shine as a reserve. If Highsmith doesn't impress in a big way during the 2026 season, it would make complete sense if the organization decided to move on with Watt, Herbig, and then Jack Sawyer entering his third season in the NFL.
What do you think is going to happen to Highsmith's future in Pittsburgh? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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