Nick Herbig: Steelers Next Extension Candidate?
p/c: Barry Reeger
The 2023 NFL Draft marked the first draft with Omar Khan and Andy Weidl as the Pittsburgh Steelers general manager and assistant GM respectively.
Pittsburgh found their diamond in the rough that year; selecting University of Wisconsin outside linebacker Nick Herbig in the fourth round.
Herbig entered his rookie season fourth on the OLB depth chart, behind TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Markus Golden.
Not surprisingly, the Steelers let Herbig get his feet on special teams coverage, as he played 78% of the time in that situation. On defense, he got only 17% of the snaps, but made the most of his chances; recording three sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.
Last season, Herbig saw a 33% increase in defensive snaps. In 13 games, he started in five of those. Herbig put up 5.5 sacks, along with four forced fumbles, and a pair of recoveries. For Herbig, he was one of eight players in 2024 to register four or more forced fumbles, including TJ Watt, who led the league with six.
Herbig is off to a strong start this season. In the Steelers home opener versus the Seattle Seahawks, he picked up his first career interception. Herbig had a sack and forced fumble in Pittsburgh’s Week 3 win over the New England Patriots. Last Sunday in Dublin, Ireland against the Minnesota Vikings, he produced 1.5 sacks and five tackles.
Heading into the bye week, Herbig has received 83% of defensive snaps; mainly due to the absence of Alex Highsmith, who is still recovering from a high ankle sprain.
As Herbig continues to establish himself as a key piece, on the Steelers linebacking group, could he be the team’s next candidate for a possible extension?
Herbig is a terrific, pass rusher, and has shown that ability since debuting in ‘23. However, being able to stop the run consistently has left quite a lot to be desired. If Herbig can find a way to vastly improve that area of his game, then talks of a contract extension would most likely be in order.
Should a deal be made for Herbig this offseason, it could come with a caveat. Watt is fresh off signing a new extension at three years, $123 million. Meanwhile, Highsmith is in the second year of his four-year deal, which includes a cap hit of $20,102,000 for 2026, and a $21,102,000 hit in 2027. Given how much the Steelers have heavily poured into their defense, it’s hard to imagine more significant cash being invested into one particular position, which is why Highsmith could be made expendable, if a Herbig extension gets done. The Steelers could use that saved money on Highsmith to allocate towards another important need, such as wide receiver or help on the offensive line.