Exit Meeting: OLB Alex Highsmith
Experience: 6 Years
Alex Highsmith had arguably his best season last year for the Steelers, nearly hitting double-digit sacks in spite of injuries. He missed a total of four games, but also sat out time in others, and played injured. Even with the setbacks, he was the Steelers’ best edge defender on the season.
In 13 games, Highsmith recorded 9.5 sacks, 50 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, 3 passes defensed, and 1 forced fumble. While he could have created more splash plays, he was their most reliable performer on the edge. That includes working against the run, which has always been a strength. His 15 tackles for loss tie a career high, and he did so in three fewer games. He was also one off his career high in hits despite playing four fewer games.
Alex Highsmith’s highwater mark for sacks remains 14.5, a year in which he also led the NFL with 5 forced fumbles while still managing, disgracefully, to not make the Pro Bowl. But he was a better player all around this year. That season in 2022, he had more breaks in stumbling into more frequent opportunities to finish plays. He didn’t have as many in 2025, but still nearly hit double digits. He was admittedly quiet in their postseason loss with just one tackle, however.
Despite his generally high level of play, Highsmith has faced annual speculation about his future. While he is under contract through 2027, outsiders keep wanting to try to trade him. He is on the books for $14.5 million in 2026 and $15.5 million in 2027, which is far from too much to ask for a quality starting edge defender.
Now, the argument is that the Steelers have a quality stable of pass rushers. Even assuming T.J. Watt is on the back side of his career, they still have Nick Herbig. Many believe Herbig is capable of starting right now. And they have Jack Sawyer, a rookie last season who showed real promise. If he can continue to develop as a pass rusher, he could be similar to Highsmith.
But the Steelers already have Highsmith, and there’s no such thing as too many pass rushers. And I don’t think the argument that some try to make that Herbig is the better all-around player is exactly an airtight one. But Highsmith can help himself by staying healthy, which he has failed to do despite his best efforts.
The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at home, the inevitable result ofanother early playoff exit. This is a repeated pattern for the organization, but with major change coming. As the Steelers conduct their own exit meetings, we willgo down the roster conducting our own. Who should stay, and who should go, and how? Who should expect a bigger role next season, and who might deserve a new contract? The resignation of Mike Tomlin makes those questions much more difficult to answer, but much more important. We’ll explore those questions and more in these articles, part of an annual series.
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