The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy bringing in free agents throughout the offseason, as well as finding the right draft prospects. As a result, the front office really hasn't worked on many extensions from within the team. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky reached an extension with the team last week. Now, it seems like there could be another one on the verge of happening.
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The Steelers recently signed quarterback Mitch Trubisky to a contract extension, meaning he'll be the primary backup for awhile.
That would be outside linebacker Alex Highsmith. He's set to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season, and he won't come at a cheap cost. The team faces a somewhat similar scenario to Bud Dupree just a few years back, albeit Highsmith is younger and has shown more consistent production. In 2022, he broke out in a big way. Highsmith finished the season with career highs in nearly every category, including sacks (14.5), quarterback hits (20), and forced fumbles (five).
Highsmith's sack total was sixth in all of football, and he was somehow snubbed from the Pro Bowl. Despite appearing in just 10 games and not being as effective as 2021, TJ Watt was somehow selected to the game. Highsmith's production did dip a bit when Watt was out of the lineup, which should be expected. Teams were able to solely focus on Highsmith, as the other edge rushers on Pittsburgh didn't pose much of a threat at all. The rising star spoke about his contract situation at OTAs on Tuesday via the media scrum.
"I talked with some guys that have gone through the same situation in the past. I’m just someone that likes to be here and likes to work. We will see what happens in the future. I’m going to be involved in [negotiation process] a little bit. Of course, I want to know what’s happening. I’m confident in my agents. [Negotiations] have started. I just don’t know where it is yet. I’m optimistic," Highsmith said.
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The Steelers front office may view Alex Highsmith as the priority for the rest of the offseason now, as he's set to enter free agency after this upcoming season.
Throughout this process, Watt's contract will be something Pittsburgh will have to consider. Tying up over $40 million per year between your two edge rushers is a lot. It's what hindered them from bringing back Dupree several years ago, although this situation is slightly different. As we saw in 2022, just one injury between the two of them, and the pass rush suffers mightily.
Will Steelers reach deal with Highsmith before 2023 season?
Spotrac projects Highsmith's current market value at $13.9 million per year, which would give him a four-year, $55.6 million deal. For reference, that would be the 12th-biggest contract amongst outside linebackers. It's quite comparable to Matt Judon's four-year, $56 million deal signed back in 2021. Judon had 15.5 sacks in 2022, so Highsmith isn't far off from his level. That's without mentioning Highsmith's ascension, as he seems to be getting better and better.
The depth at the position remains a weakness of the team heading into the summer. On Tuesday, it was announced that they would bring in eight-year veteran Markus Golden for a visit. He knows how to get to the quarterback, as he has 47 career sacks across 111 games (68 starts). Golden's coming off a season in which he wasn't nearly as effective, as he had just 2.5 sacks in 781 defensive snaps, but he'd be a nice signing nonetheless.
Do you think the team should tie over $40 million into the edge position? Who do you want to see the team sign as a depth piece before training camp? Do you think Highsmith is worth $14 million per year? Share your thoughts below, yinz!
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