Nick Herbig continues to flash as one of the most exciting young defenders on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ expensive defense. Against Minnesota, the third-year former Wisconsin Badger racked up five tackles and 1.5 sacks in relief of the injured Alex Highmsith. He also forced an intentional grounding from Carson Wentz on the Vikings' final drive that effectively sealed the game for Pittsburgh.
Highsmith is out with a high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 2. The Steelers didn’t put Highsmith on Injured Reserve, so he could be back sooner than later.
In the meantime, Herbig continues to shine, which could give the Steelers some wiggle room on the edge.
Nick Herbig’s emergence opens the door for Pittsburgh Steelers trade deadline moves
Even after a much-improved offensive performance against the Vikings in Dublin, it’s no secret the Steelers could still use more help on the offensive side of the ball. There are plenty of wideouts who are on the unofficial trade block around the league, and Highsmith is a bargaining chip if Herbig continues to be productive as the trade deadline approaches.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Steelers have faced a similar situation. Highsmith has faced several injuries in the past three seasons, in which Herbig showed flashes before inevitably missing some time himself.
Including this week, Highsmith has missed eight games due to injury over the past two seasons after playing all 34 between 2022 and 2023.
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Unlike last year, when Herbig was lost for four games after stepping in for Highsmith, the young pass rusher has been able to capitalize on the opportunity. He continues to flash his speed as an edge defender that complements T.J. Watt’s power coming from the opposite side so well.
Realistically, the Steelers would prefer to keep Highsmith around and have a three-headed Hydra pass rush with a rotation among the three as rookie Jack Sawyer slowly comes along. But there is an argument to be made that if Herbig is proving to be more productive than Highsmith, it’s better to move Highsmith before more injuries mount or his production falters further.
After all, Highsmith has been rather inconsistent throughout his time in Pittsburgh. His lone 14.5-sack season in 2022 was marred by his lack of production without Watt in the lineup. Since then, he has 14 sacks total, with one coming this season against the New York Jets.
Meanwhile, Herbig now has 11 sacks through his first three seasons, closing in on Highsmith’s total in that time.
At any rate, if Herbig stays healthy and continues to give more production on the edge than Highsmith, the Steelers have a decision to make. Preferably, both players can contribute heavily after the BYE and allow the play on the field to dictate which direction they’ll go.