The Pittsburgh Steelers still have one of the best outside linebacker rooms in the NFL, although the ceiling of the room has probably lowered over the last couple of seasons. This is mainly due to TJ Watt aging and becoming a slightly less productive player, although he is still more than capable of wrecking games and producing in ways other than sacking the quarterback. Aside from Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig have also been great players when they are healthy. Jack Sawyer also made a few splashes as a rookie during the 2025 season, and hopefully he can continue to improve in 2026.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers edge rushers TJ Watt and Nick Herbig at organized team activities (OTAs) in the summer of 2026.
Watt and Highsmith have both been really good players for quite some time, but Herbig came out of nowhere as a star edge rusher after being drafted back in 2023. He just signed a four-year, $100 million extension with the team, and that means he should be on the field more often moving forward. It is unclear what the plan is going to be for Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, but fans should expect to see these three players moving around the defensive formation more often. All three guys will also be on the field more as well.
Former NFL general manager Doug Whaley went on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning, and he was asked about Watt and what a successful season might look like for him after a down year in 2025. He shared a strategy that he thinks the Steelers should employ in 2026.
"I would say if he could scratch double-digits, I think that's going to be a good stat line," Whaley said. "Because I think they're going to have a rotation between him, Highsmith, Herbig, and even a little Sawyer sprinkled in. And what I would think about doing is really upping Herbig's reps early in the season. To hold TJ, and get him peaking at the end of the year, especially if you're in playoff contention. Have him fresher at the end of the season rather than at the beginning."
Whaley would like to see the coaching staff manage Watt's snaps, and prioritize his health and production for the second half of the season as the team is hopefully preparing for a playoff run. If the plan were to work perfectly, Watt would be hitting his stride at some point in the second half of the season and he would be able to be productive right as the team is getting ready for the postseason.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott with outside linebacker TJ Watt during training camp ahead of the 2025 season.
Watt has had a frustrating end to the last couple of seasons. In 2025, he had the bizarre injury when his lung collapsed due to dry needling at the team's facility. This caused him to miss some games, and he clearly was not himself when he returned to the field. He was having a great season in 2024, but he suffered an ankle injury later in the year and that hurt his production. He didn't record a sack in the final four games of the season, including the playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Steelers Should Have One Problem With Doug Whaley's Plan
Whaley's plan sounds good and it would be amazing if everything were able to work out that, but there is one major issue: health. All three players at the top of the outside linebacker room have had injury problems. Sawyer would be an adequate replacement for one of them for a game or two, but if Watt, Highsmith, or Herbig go down, this plan is ruined. Herbig is especially a concern as he has had a problem with soft tissue injuries throughout the first three seasons of his career. The same can be said for Highsmith, while Watt's injuries have been more measurable. Soft tissue injuries are more of a guessing game when it comes to a time line for a return.
What do you think of this plan from Whaley? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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