Overview
- Pittsburgh’s decision to sign Nick Herbig to a four-year, $100 million extension has raised the team’s spending at the outside‑edge position and triggered sharper roster and cap scrutiny.
- NFL insider reporting says league interest is forming in Alex Highsmith, with the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers all reportedly monitoring his situation.
- Highsmith is seen as the most tradeable of Pittsburgh’s top rushers because he has two years left on his contract and lower dead‑cap charges that would ease a trade for acquiring teams.
- The Steelers and team spokespeople have pushed back on trade talk, and the club emphasized it is not actively shopping its top three edge rushers after Highsmith missed a minicamp practice for an illness and then returned to workouts.
- Some league voices have suggested modest draft compensation is plausible — a third‑round pick was floated by a 49ers insider — and insiders expect Pittsburgh to reassess moves later in the summer or after on‑field results rather than make an immediate sale.