Before the Pittsburgh Steelers were set to host the 2026 NFL Draft, rumors surrounding a potential trade began circulating around two of the team's three star pass rushers: Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. Nothing ultimately came of those rumors, at least as of writing. But it did bring up a real question for the Steelers: Can they afford to keep their trio of edge rushers together past 2026?
The short answer is likely yes, especially given their lack of massive deals currently on the books beyond T.J. Watt's contract. With Highsmith still under contract through 2027 ( at a reasonable $21.102 million cap hit to boot), Herbig's extension is the one that needs to be decided before the end of next season.
It's unclear what the cost of Herbig's deal could be, but we now know that he wants to remain in Pittsburgh. While appearing on former Steelers' defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko's podcast The Fehoko Show, Herbig's agent Joe DiBenedetto made it clear that staying in Pittsburgh is what his client is hoping to do.
Nick Herbig's agent makes it clear that he is hoping to sign an extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers
When Fehoko asked DiBendetto directly about what's next for Herbig, he had this to say about the situation.
“I fully believe if Nick was starting full-time in this league, he’d be one of the top-5 best edge rushers in football," DiBendetto said. "Opportunity is everything, right? He’s learning from Alex (Highsmith) and T.J. (Watt) from Day 1. Without getting into too much of the nuances that is ongoing, Nick wants to be a Pittsburgh Steeler for life, and I hope that we can make that happen."
It sure sounds like Herbig and his agent believe he would be viewed as a premium player if he played more snaps than he has up to this point, which is hard to argue with. He has been one of the more efficient pass rushers in the NFL since he entered the league, and he showed the ability to play full-time reps while filling in for Highsmith and Watt over the past two years, while each dealt with injuries.
The fact that his agent was willing to come out and say that he wants to stay with the Steelers long-term is significant. If nothing else, it means that the conversations between the two sides have likely gone well so far this offseason.
The hope, at least in my opinion, is that a deal can be reached before the start of the 2026 season. If Herbig puts together another strong season, his price will only go up as the edge market continues to explode. With the top of the market officially at the $50 million mark after Will Anderson's recent extension with the Houston Texans, the best thing for the Steelers would be to bite the bullet now and give him a strong offer he can't argue with.
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