In an NFL dominated by quarterback mobility that can spread from sideline-to-sideline, it has become more imperative than ever to plug in pass-rushing linebackers and defensive linemen who boast the athleticism to match up.
The AFC North brings in no exception, where the Steelers see former MVP Lamar Jackson, MVP candidate Joe Burrow, and three-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson twice a year. Whether it is about forcing the quarterback into making a quicker decision than he anticipated, making him run out of the pocket and breaking a play down, or sacking him and turning the tides of a drive, these pass rushers are becoming more valuable now than ever.
And that is why the Steelers decided to pay Alex Highsmith Wednesday morning.
"I know that I am a Pittsburgh Steeler through and through," Highsmith said, "and just to be a part of this amazing organization for four more years means the world to me. This is where I want to be. This is where I want to play ball."
Smitty's staying in the Burgh 💪@highsmith34 | More highlights on https://t.co/XL7UQscxtd pic.twitter.com/nZxyyYyW2h
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) July 19, 2023
Make no mistake about it. Highsmith and the Steelers wanted him to be in Pittsburgh, and the sides made sure he was taken care of before convening in Latrobe in a week for training camp.
The 25-year-old signed a four-year extension worth a reported $68 million, which will kick in after the 2023 season, the final on his rookie contract that is worth $2.7 million. The extension is superbly warranted, as Highsmith was the breakout star for the Steelers' defense and perhaps from pass rushers across the NFL in 2022.
Though he was snubbed from the Pro Bowl and many other postseason accolades, Highsmith was able to turn heads leaguewide. His five forced fumbles tied for first in the NFL, his 14.5 sacks led the Steelers and were sixth-most in the NFL, and his 12 tackles for loss were two off of Cam Heyward's team-leading pace last season.
Combined with the superstar that T.J. Watt is, the Steelers now boast one of, if not the best pass-rushing duo in the NFL and will do so through at least 2026, when Watt's current deal is set to expire.
The position's value has skyrocketed, and Highsmith's extension places him among the top of he NFL's edge rushers in terms of salary. His $17 million average annual value is tied for the 12th-highest in the league along with the 49ers' Arik Armstead, the Buccaneers' Shaquil Barrett, and the Raiders' Chandler Jones. Watt's $28 million AAV is the highest among NFL pass rushers, but the $45 million the Steelers are committing annually to Watt and Highsmith are second to the $50.5 million AAV the Chargers will give to Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack until 2025, when Mack is a free agent.
Time will have to tell of whether this investment is worthwhile, as the market could skyrocket with respect to the AAV and make this look like a worthwhile investment. On the other hand, Highsmith now has an expectation to perform with this massive contract in tow.
How would he compare with the three aforementioned players making the same money as he is set to make?
Armstead signed his five-year, $85 million extension with the 49ers in 2020 and achieved 9.5 sacks and 13.0 TFLs in two seasons before being limited to nine games in 2022. Barrett was extended for four years and $72 million prior to the 2021 season and has totaled 13.0 sacks and 15.0 TFLs in two seasons since. Jones, a two-time All-Pro, had his contract restructured in April but signed a three-year, $52.5 million deal last offseason. Over his last two seasons, Jones has tallied 15.0 sacks and 15.0 TFLs while earning a nod for the Pro Bowl in 2021.
Those statistics are over the last two full seasons for each of Armstead, Barrett, and Jones post-extension, and Highsmith outdid or came close to outdoing each of them last year alone. He was dominant and commands added attention on the other side of the line of scrimmage from where Watt stands.
But, how much of a catalyst was Watt to Highsmith's success last season?
As it turns out, quite a bit.
In seven games without Watt last season, Highsmith racked up 3.5 sacks, 5.0 tackles for loss, and five QB hits.
In the 10 games Highsmith played with Watt, he posted 11.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, and 15 QB hits.
Over the course of a 17-game season without Watt, Highsmith would have posted approximately 8.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 13 QB hits. With Watt, those totals equate to approximately 19.0 sacks, 12.0 tackles for loss, and 26 QB hits, using multipliers to fill the respective gaps from seven to 17 (without Watt) and from 10 to 17 (with Watt).
In an NFL where money is now being dumped into the offense, the Steelers seem to be zagging when everyone else is zigging. Having the necessary firepower to combat division and conference rivals is one thing, but Highsmith has only known the insides of the Steelers' walls as a pro and could find another gear now that the contract is settled.
According to salary numbers from Spotrac, the Steelers are currently set to spend $111,493,443 on their defense and $101,597,984 on their offense this season. Divided into dollars per player, the Steelers are putting an average of $3.1 million into 36 players on defense and $2.54 million into 40 players on offense. The money spent on defense equals to 48.64% of their total cap, which will be the fourth-most spent on a defense this season.
Once Highsmith's extension kicks in come 2024, the Steelers will be allocating around $46.7 million to their linebackers, which accounts for 19.4% of their cap and will be third-most in the NFL among linebacker units, per Spotrac.
Highsmith was going to get paid somewhere, and for his sake, it might serve best to have the check watermarked by the Steelers given the Watt effect. But, should Watt have to unpredictably miss any further time for injury or what ever other reason, Highsmith will have to ensure that he is more than an "elite Robin" -- as Mike Tomlin put it in June -- to Watt's Batman and can be a self-serving, dominant force like he is being paid to be.
"We like to challenge him in that way," Tomlin said in June. "He’s growing. He’s making a name for himself in this thing. He seeks perfection.”
