The Pittsburgh Steelers still have plenty of needs heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. But far down on the team’s list of needs is an EDGE rusher. However, the national media seems to think otherwise. We can add former New York Giants executive and current NFL Network analyst Marc Ross to the list of people who think the Steelers should address EDGE in the draft, as he explained on the Insiders.
“That EDGE position, with [T.J.] Watt getting a little bit older, been banged up the last couple years and outside of he and [Alex] Highsmith, not a whole lot of juice off the edges there, so getting some young, fresh EDGE rushers there as well,” Ross said.
There are layers to the conversation of whether the Steelers should draft an EDGE and how high they should take one. But it’s a little ridiculous to say the Steelers don’t have juice behind Watt and Highsmith when the team has probably the best third outside linebacker in the league in Nick Herbig. The Steelers also got positive contributions from Jack Sawyer as a rookie, giving them a really solid group of four outside linebackers.
When it comes to Watt, his production last season didn’t live up to what he’s done throughout his career. But he did manage to stay healthy outside of a freak dry-needling accident leading to a punctured lung that knocked him out for three games. Highsmith has dealt with injuries each of the past two seasons, and Herbig was banged up at times last season. With 12 picks (and for the record, I don’t believe the team will use them all), it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Steelers add to the room, especially with Herbig entering a contract year.
But drafting an EDGE is not one of Pittsburgh’s biggest needs and I’d be surprised if it was a position the team considered before Day 3. Sawyer should take a Year 2 leap, and I don’t expect Herbig’s production to drop. A bounce-back year from Watt would be nice, but even if he doesn’t reach his previous heights, Highsmith has been elite when healthy and it’s still a very strong room. Even with Herbig’s contract up after 2026, the Steelers can wait to draft an EDGE or look to replace him in free agency instead of adding a fifth player to the room this year.
There’s also the possibility of a trade, and taking an EDGE earlier would make more sense if the Steelers intended to make one. But as it stands now, I don’t see the point of it being a priority for the Steelers.
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