Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig came up as a potential trade candidate before the draft, but general manager Omar Khan downplayed the possibility of a deal. Herbig remains on the roster almost a month later, and it does not appear that will change. He is expected to log even more playing time under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in 2026, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
An increase in snaps would be a welcome development for Herbig, who is going into a contract year. Since joining the Steelers as a third-round pick in 2023, the former Wisconsin Badger has made just 11 starts while stuck behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in the pecking order. With 16 sacks and nine forced fumbles in 45 games, Herbig has still made an impact.
After playing just 17% of defensive snaps as a rookie, Herbig was much more involved during the past two years under the former head coach-coordinator tandem of Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin. His defensive snap share jumped to 50% in 2024 and climbed to 60% last season, when Watt missed three games with a punctured lung. Herbig stepped up with a career-high 7.5 sacks in 15 games (six starts). He also forced three fumbles and set personal bests in tackles (30), QB hits (18), pass deflections (three) and interceptions (one).
Beyond the traditional numbers, Pro Football Focus ranked Herbig’s performance an outstanding sixth among 119 qualified edge defenders (Highsmith and Watt were 12th and 31st, respectively). Only Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Will Anderson, Aidan Hutchinson and Trey Hendrickson earned a better pass-rushing grade than Herbig. Pretty good company.
Teams in need of a pass-rushing boost are likely to take notice if Herbig reaches the open market next year, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who reports there are “plenty” of clubs that would welcome him as a full-time starter. Between the ever-rising $300MM-plus salary cap and the high demand for edge defenders, it would not be a surprise to see Herbig cash in big if he puts up another solid showing in 2026. To name one example, Herbig could land a similar payday to Boye Mafe, who went from the Seahawks to the Bengals in free agency this year. Mafe parlayed 20 sacks and three forced fumbles in 65 games into a $20MM AAV contract (three years, $60MM).
Although a full-time starting gig for Herbig has not been in the cards so far, Kahn has expressed interest in keeping him around for the foreseeable future. It makes sense. Set to turn 25 in November, Herbig is far younger than the soon-to-be 32-year-old Watt and Highsmith, who will play his age-29 season in 2026.
Watt and Highsmith are under contract for at least two more years apiece, but Fowler notes the Steelers could try to trade the former if Herbig sticks around on a new deal. While that would mean parting with a franchise legend, it would also allow the Steelers to get out of an exorbitant contract for an aging player. Watt, who is signed through 2028, is due a fully guaranteed $32MM salary in each of the next seasons. He will also count $42MM against the Steelers’ cap in both of those years.
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