After losing four of their last six games, the Pittsburgh Steelers are underdogs just to make the playoffs at this point. Mike Tomlin is looking to snap his ugly streak of eight straight years without a playoff win, and if that doesn't happen, we could see some legitimate roster turnover during the 2026 offseason.
One player who could be entering his final stretch of games with the Steelers is Alex Highsmith. While the third-round pick in 2020 has grossly outplayed his original draft selection, there are reasons to believe he might not make it to the start of the 2026 season on Pittsburgh's roster.
After handing T.J. Watt a lucrative three-year, $123 million contract extension—which, at the time, made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history—the Steelers could be entering a bit of a financial bind. Watt's $41 million per season in average earnings per year, combined with Highsmith's $17 million per year APY, makes this an expensive pairing.
But it gets worse, and the Steelers might not be able to justify keeping Highsmith around after the 2025 season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could move on from Alex Highsmith with Nick Herbig in need of a massive contract extension
Highsmith's cap number jumps up to over $20 million in each of the final two years of his contract in 2026 and 2027, per Over The Cap. This means that Highsmith and Watt would combine for an egregious cap number north of $62 million over the next two years. For the right player, the Steelers could stomach this hit. But Highsmith might not be that guy.
While the former college walk-on at Charlotte has been tremendous in his role with the Steelers, he's been banged up frequently over the past two seasons. In 2024, Highsmith appeared in just 11 games, and he's missed multiple games this season.
However, the biggest reason for his potential departure in the offseason has less to do with Highsmith and more to do with Nick Herbig.
Herbig is an ascending edge rusher who just turned 24 years old. The former Wisconsin star can generate quick pressure better than any pass rusher on the team, and he's only scratching the surface of his potential.
READ MORE: Why Nick Herbig deserves more credit among the NFL’s top young defenders
Letting Herbig walk away after his rookie contract would be a colossal mistake by the front office. Considering Omar Khan and Andy Weidl hand-selected Herbig in the 2023 NFL Draft, they should be more apt to keep him around than Highsmith, a selection from former GM Kevin Colbert in 2020.
Herbig is a younger, fresher, and more talented pass rusher than Highsmith. However, he also needs a new contract, and keeping all three edge rushers on steep deals isn't reasonable.
To get Herbig signed to a new deal, the Steelers could look to trade Highsmith to a pass-rush-needy team. The veteran edge rusher turns 29 years old before the start of the 2026 season, but based on his quality resume, the Steelers might be able to fetch a late Day 2 pick for his services.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could find a way to make things work with all three of Highsmith, Watt, and Herbig for one more season. However, trading Highsmith during the 2026 offseason might make the most sense for a team on track to have 12 draft picks and looking for a fresh start.