The Pittsburgh Steelers have a handful of contracts to get done before the start of the 2026 regular season, and the organization was able to get one big one out of the way on Tuesday as outside linebacker Nick Herbig signed a contract extension. It is was for four years and worth $100 million, with $42 million being guaranteed. It will kick in during the 2027 season, and he will be under contract in Pittsburgh through 2030. This is a record-breaking deal as it is believed that Herbig is the first non-quarterback to never start a full season and have a deal surpass $100 million.
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Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig tackles Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith during a Week 17 game in the 2023 season.
It was thought that this process might take a little bit longer due to how complicated it could have been. Pittsburgh is already paying big money to both TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, and those are the two starters.
Herbig has been a depth piece behind them that has taken advantage of his opportunities while also making game-wrecking plays whenever he is on the field. Herbig showed he deserved big money, and he probably wants to be on the field more, which are two factors that made some think this negotiation period could carry well into training camp.
Herbig signed his deal on Tuesday after skipping out on Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and sitting on the sideline during the first day of mandatory minicamp. NFL insider Jeremy Fowler made a note after Herbig signed his deal that there was a ton of interest in the young pass rusher around the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sides had been working on this one for a while. Herbig would have been coveted in free agency and garnered trade interest around draft time. https://t.co/TWWrV5unGt
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) June 2, 2026
Pittsburgh had to get a deal done with Herbig before the 2026 season if the franchise wanted him to be with the Steelers in the long term. If he had made it to free agency, he would have had a ton of interested teams and the price would have been much higher. Fowler noted this while stating that Pittsburgh saw a ton of interest in Herbig before and during the NFL Draft.
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Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig (51) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Fowler never went into any sort of detail about what teams may have been interested in Herbig, but there are some assumptions that could be made. The Philadelphia Eagles went into the 2026 offseason looking for help with their pass rush, and they eventually completed a trade with the Minnesota Vikings for outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard.
The Eagles then also extended Greenard, which shows the franchise was willing to spend on the position. Had Herbig been traded, an extension would have had to come shortly after as no team would trade for a player like Herbig if they were only going to get one year out of him.
The Vikings received two third round selections in the exchange, with one of those picks taking place in the 2027 NFL Draft. Philadelphia could have inquired with Pittsburgh, or it could have been another team altogether.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers linebackers Nick Herbig (51) and Alex Highsmith (56) celebrate big play during wild card round against the Texans.
Steelers Could Now Consider A Trade Involving Another One Of Their Defensive Stars
Herbig is the youngest out of the top three outside linebackers that are making big money, and he is here to stay. Watt's contract is not tradable due to the dead cap charge that Pittsburgh would incur, and he is coming off of a down year which would make him hard to move. Highsmith is the only realistic trade option in that room, and the Eagles might be a team to watch again. They were in on the Myles Garrett saga, and Philadelphia seems to be looking for more help on the edge.
What do you think about this report from Fowler? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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