The Pittsburgh Steelers are fresh off an impressive win over the LA Chargers, thanks in large part to their spectacular defense. The staple of Mike Tomlin's team over the past few years has been an elite pass rush, spearheaded by T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Unfortunately, Highsmith went down with a groin injury in Week 3 and did not return. In his absence, Nick Herbig made his presence felt.
Herbig, Pittsburgh's fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has turned heads since joining the team last year. The 22-year-old was once again a preseason star in his second season. Now his phenomenal performance is carrying over to the regular season.
Herbig played just 19 defensive snaps against the Chargers, but on eight passing plays, the talented edge rusher sacked the quarterback twice, forcing one fumble on Justin Herbert. His strip sack came against outstanding left tackle Rashawn Slater.
This remarkable performance was more than enough to catch the attention of the national media. One former NFL player, Dorin Dickerson of The Fan Morning Show, believes he has seen enough of Herbig to make him the starting edge rusher opposite T.J. Watt.
"I know you're paying Alex Highsmith a lot of money," Dickerson explained on The Fan Morning Show. "I think Herbig should start the rest of the season. He is almost impossible to block."
Dickerson isn't the only one thinking this way. Fans are flocking to social media to join the former NFL player in agreement. These fans may get their wish... but it comes at a cost.
Steelers will give Nick Herbig the starting job by default
Nobody is going to argue that Nick Herbig isn't worthy of being a starting edge rusher. Though his usage has been limited since last season, he finds a way to make an impact every time he steps on the field. His fantastic performance in Week 3 against the Chargers was accompanied by a 95.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.
Entering Week 4, Herbig is sandwiched between T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett for the third-best PFF grade among all NFL edge defenders. This is more than anyone could have expected.
Herbig is going to get the starting job. Unfortunately, this is because of the groin injury to Alex Highsmith. The veteran edge rusher is going to miss the Colts game in Week 4 with the injury and MRI results will reveal approximately how much time he will miss.
By default, Herbig becomes the de facto starter opposite T.J. Watt. The two savvy rushers could make for a lethal combination. However, the depth at the position is suddenly razor-thin. DeMarvin Leal is the only other edge rusher on the team, and he's more of a hybrid between an edge and an interior defender.
With Highsmith out, the Steelers cannot afford an injury at the position. Let's hope Watt and Herbig can avoid bumps and bruises until Highsmith returns. Until then, there's no sense in debating whether Highsmith or Herbig should be the starter opposite Watt on Pittsburgh's defense.