The Pittsburgh Steelers are navigating a high-class roster dilemma in their outside linebacker room. While T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith remain the faces of the franchise, third-year pro Nick Herbig has officially outgrown his “depth piece” label.
And he’s going to cost a lot more very soon.
Following a 2025 campaign defined by historic per-snap efficiency, the Steelers must decide if they can afford to keep an elite edge rusher in a rotational role, or if they must move on from a proven veteran in lieu of higher-paid players deeper in their contracts.
Herbig ranks as a top 10 NFL edge defender in efficiency
Herbig’s 2025 season was a statistical anomaly that forced the league to take notice. Despite playing just 610 defensive snaps, roughly 42nd among edge defenders, Herbig finished the year with eight sacks and 47 total pressures. His 87.1 PFF pass-rush grade ranked 8th among 115 qualified edge defenders, placing him in the same tier as perennial All-Pros. Most impressively, Herbig recorded 7.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles despite often playing 200 fewer snaps than Watt, proving his production is a result of pure technical dominance rather than clean-up opportunities.
Mike McCarthy plans to utilize the three OLB package in 2026
New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is tasked with fixing a unit that struggled with yardage consistency in 2025. During the NFL owners’ meetings, Mike McCarthy and Alex Highsmith hinted that the 2026 defensive strategy will feature a more consistent three-OLB package. This design places Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig on the field simultaneously, often moving Herbig to an interior rover role to exploit mismatches against slower guards. McCarthy’s belief that “versatility is king” suggests the team is finally ready to stop treated Herbig as a backup and start treating him as a primary defensive weapon
The Steelers face an impossible 2027 contract decision
Herbig is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is now eligible for a contract extension. However, with massive capital already tied to Watt and Highsmith, the Steelers likely cannot offer Herbig the starter-level money he would command on the open market.
Unless Omar Khan moves a veteran star during the 2026 season, the Steelers risk losing an ascending blue-chip asset for nothing more than a compensatory pick. For a team in a “win-now” window under McCarthy, the 2026 season is Herbig’s final audition to prove he is the player the franchise should build around for the next decade.
