Now that the NFL Draft has been over for quite a while, the Pittsburgh Steelers have started working on contract extensions, and there are quite a few of them that need to get done. Recently, they locked up Chris Boswell to a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid kickers in NFL history. His deal didn’t eat up a ton of cap space, but he’s just one of many players who need new contracts.
One player who could soon be a much richer man is Nick Herbig, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. And after a career season with 7.5 sacks, Herbig could soon earn a contract that may shock most of the NFL world.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will need to decide what to do with Nick Herbig soon
The Steelers have a plethora of talent on the EDGE and have already paid T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith big money. Highsmith’s contract runs out at the conclusion of the 2027 season, and he is suddenly widely underpaid compared to the rest of the market. It’s possible Pittsburgh adds a year or two onto his current contract this offseason, but that seems unlikely.
As for Watt, he is under contract for the next three seasons (through 2028) and still has $64 million in guaranteed money coming to him. That’s what makes the Nick Herbig contract situation so difficult. Pittsburgh has already committed so much money to Highsmith and Watt in 2027, and beyond that, it makes a contract extension for Herbig difficult.
In a recent article by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he wrote about the 2027 offseason and players who could be in line for big deals. That list included Herbig, who Fowler expects to earn a huge deal by 2027 at the latest. Here is what he had to say about the former fourth-round pick from Wisconsin:
“Pittsburgh's No. 3 edge rusher produced 7.5 sacks in a part-time role last season, and plenty of teams would be glad to make him a full-time starter. Ascending pass rushers get paid. The Steelers want to keep Herbig but also have T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith on the books. If Herbig makes it to free agency, he'll be a player who's not a household name but could be paid as one.”
The “raw” stats for Herbig don’t look like a player who is worthy of a monster contract, but teams around the NFL are starting to care more about pressure rate and win rate versus sack production. That is how a player like Odafe Oweh (7.5 sacks in 2025) earned a deal worth $24 million per season this offseason. He’s now the 17th-highest-paid EDGE defender in the league, and that seems like a realistic number for Herbig a year from now.
Another name and number that could be of interest to Herbig is Jaelan Philips, who totaled 12.5 sacks over the last three seasons. He signed a deal this offseason with the Panthers that pays him $30 million per season (four years) with $60 million fully guaranteed, according to OverTheCap.com. That’s probably on the higher end of what Herbig could realistically make on the market, but it isn’t completely out of the question.
Pittsburgh could franchise tag Herbig next offseason, but that would guarantee him $30.1 million for the 2027 season, and that is just too big a number for the third EDGE rusher on this team. So if the Steelers want to keep him long term, it might be in their best interest to get a deal done now.
On the flip side, Herbig and his agents have to know what type of deals could be out there next offseason for him, provided he has another strong season. And if he is willing to be patient, it could greatly benefit him in the long run. If Pittsburgh isn’t willing to pay him market value, there is always a chance they could move him now and grab some more draft capital for the 2027 draft.
Keep an eye on the Herbig situation, as this will be one of the more difficult decisions that Omar Khan and the rest of the front office have to make over the next few months. Herbig is going to get a monster contract extension soon. But time will tell who will give it to him.
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