After months of speculation regarding his future with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nick Herbig has agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension to keep him in Pittsburgh through the rest of the decade. The 24-year-old is coming off his most productive season, racking up 7.5 sacks and 48 pressures.
The deal includes $42 million in guaranteed money, giving Pittsburgh flexibility to move on if he doesn't continue his rise to being one of the NFL's most explosive pass rushers. With T.J. Watt coming off a down year and Alex Highsmith's future uncertain beyond the 2026 season, the Steelers made it clear that they view Herbig as the future of their edge position.
While it's a risk to pay a player who has been primarily a backup and situational pass rusher $100 million, Herbig has shown enough in that role for general manager Omar Khan to put his faith in him.
Nick Herbig's big Pittsburgh Steelers extension puts pressure on him to become a true star
Edge rusher has become the NFL's highest-paid position other than quarterback, and for good reason. No position has a more direct impact on stopping high-powered passing games, and they can also be instrumental in shutting down the wide-zone rushing attacks that have proliferated the league.
Spending $25 million per season for a player with just 11 career starts may sound ridiculous, but Herbig has been extremely productive despite coming off the bench during the first three years of his career. He has accumulated 16 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and 23 tackles for loss in just 1,216 career defensive snaps.
For reference, T.J. Watt produced 11.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 19 tackles for loss in 938 snaps, en route to a second-team All-Pro season. On a rate basis, Herbig has had nearly identical production.
There is still a degree of uncertainty surrounding Herbig's ability to hold up as a full-time starter, which he will presumably be as early as 2027. His lack of size (6'2", 240 pounds) makes setting the edge a difficult task for him, even if he gives all the effort that you could ask of him. His frame also makes him a bit one-dimensional as a pass rusher, relying on his absurd quickness and speed around the arc to make up for a lack of high-end power.
Still, his ability to win quickly and wreck plays before they even begin has already shown up consistently. With Watt likely only regressing further as he ages, locking in Herbig now gives the Steelers hope for the future when he eventually hangs up his cleats.
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