Even before Nick Herbig’s mega-contract extension, there was no question the Pittsburgh Steelers planned to use three EDGE rusher packages featuring T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Herbig himself. Herbig’s new deal only reinforces the idea. Pittsburgh has confidently stated their goal to utilize all three as impact players and get proper return on their large contracts.
Best=laid plans of mice and men, they say. That’s certainly Pittsburgh’s intent. Health of the group might get in the way.
That goes beyond the obvious notion of any player can get hurt at any time. For all the talent Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig have, their availability has been their worst trait. Missing time has become an expectation.
Watt’s 2025 absence was through no fault of his own thanks a misplaced needle in a recovery session that knocked him out for three games. He played in all 17 games in 2023 and 2024 but battled through injuries. Thumb and ankle issues bothered him and played a role in the quiet finish to the latter season. In 2022, Watt tore his pec and missed half the season, returned, and then gutted out bruised ribs.
Turning 32 midseason, Watt is no guarantee to suit up wire-to-wire. His volent play style, an all-out defender against the run, is what’s made him so good, but it beats his body up even more. All the chips and double-teams he sees does him no favors, either.
Highsmith hasn’t avoided soft tissue injuries. Summer groin pulls have become recurring despite his best efforts to maintain pliability. Those have bled into the regular season, missing time in 2024 because of one. Last year, he missed part of camp with a groin injury, sprained his ankle in Week Two, and got hit with a pec injury late in the year. In 2024 and 2025 combined, he’s played in just 24 of a combined 34 regular season games.
Over Herbig’s three seasons, he’s played a full slate of 17 games just once. His rookie year. In 2024, he missed four games and sat out two last season. A high ankle sprain in last year’s preseason finale forced him to miss the opener. He later missed another game with a hamstring injury.
Jack Sawyer is no slouch, and he enjoyed a fine rookie season. Still, unless he breaks out and transforms his style as a sophomore, his calling card is his strength and run defense. Not a threatening pass rusher. He won’t be an ideal substitute in these packages.
Pittsburgh entered 2025 with the plan of deploying Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig. Those chances turned few. All three shared the field together for just eight games, less than 50 percent, and injuries cut that short, too. Highsmith lasted just 10 snaps into Week 2 before bowing out.
By Dave Bryan’s count, they were on the field together for just 37 snaps – roughly 3 percent of the time. That shelved the team’s plan.
A new coaching staff could add personnel wrinkles to increase those numbers. Actually seeing that vision on the field will only come to fruition if health allows. The track record isn’t great.
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