The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy this offseason, and at this stage of the game, they have accomplished the majority of the work they set out to accomplish. However, their decision to hand star pass rusher Nick Herbig a four-year, $100 million contract extension recently could force the front office into making another move.
With Herbig’s deal on the books, the Steelers have a ton of money tied up at the edge rusher position, as both T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are playing on expensive deals. Trade rumors have begun to swirl around both guys, and of this duo, it sounds like Highsmith is more likely to get dealt, with NFL insider Jason La Canfora recently urging the team to move on from him.
Alex Highsmith Emerges as Legit Trade Candidate for the Steelers
Most teams wouldn’t complain about having Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig leading the way on defense, and the Steelers certainly aren’t, which is why they have done their best to shoot down any rumors surrounding Watt and Highsmith in the wake of Herbig’s deal. Again, though, these guys are now going to be costing the team over $80 million in 2026.
At some point, that is going to become untenable, which is why a trade has been discussed recently. Highsmith makes the most sense at this point, as Herbig just got a new deal and Watt likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Highsmith has become an underrated sack specialist, as he’s managed to rack up at least six sacks in each of the past five seasons, topping out at 14.5 in the 2022 campaign.
Of this trio, though, Highsmith is viewed as the most inconsistent, and when he isn’t getting to the quarterback, he struggles to make the same sort of impact as Watt and Herbig. Given Watt’s injury history, La Canfora thinks the team could hold onto him throughout the summer, but he doesn’t believe these trade rumors will be going away anytime soon.
“Linebacker Alex Highsmith could end up being the one to go at some point this summer or fall,” La Canfora wrote for SportsBoom. “Highsmith’s name is going to crop up in trade inquiries and rumblings into the season, and the recent extension speaks to Herbig having a chance to prove to be a far more consistent force in their defense under a new coaching staff.”
Should the Steelers Trade Alex Highsmith?
GettyEdge rusher Alex Highsmith led the Pittsburgh Steelers with 9.5 sacks during the 2025 NFL season.
Highsmith is still a very productive player for the Steelers, so moving on from him isn’t something that should be lightly discussed. In 13 games last year, he racked up 50 tackles, 9.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble, but with Herbig set to take on a bigger role on defense, it’s fair to wonder what his role will look like moving forward.
Teams across the NFL are always looking for help in the pass rush department, so if Pittsburgh decides to move Highsmith, it would likely be able to get a decent return for him. For now, the Steelers aren’t tipping their hand when it comes to Highsmith, but it ultimately wouldn’t be a surprise to see him land with a new team at some point before or early in the 2026 campaign.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Steelers Urged to Trade Alex Highsmith After Nick Herbig Contract Extension appeared first on HEAVY.