The Steelers have a variety of expiring contracts on the defensive side of the ball as they enter the 2023 offseason. But their biggest question mark may be a player who is already under contract for next season.
Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2023, and the Steelers will explore an extension with the 25-year-old.
But finding a number that makes sense for the team could be a bit of a challenge.
Highsmith is set to have a cap hit of $2.95 million in 2023. That will undoubtedly take a massive climb the following year.
Spotrac estimates that Highsmith’s market value, at the moment, is roughly $14 million per season.
That would mean something up to a four-year, $56 million deal could be in line for Highsmith, taking him up to age 30 and placing him in the top 10-15 NFL outside linebacker salaries in the NFL.
“I’m just trusting that God has a plan,” Highsmith said following the end of the season. “I know he’s going to have me wherever he wants me. I hope to be here. I absolutely love playing for this team, love playing for this organization, coach Tomlin and everybody. I want to be here.”
Looking at 2024, the Steelers currently have a fair amount of pricey contracts on the books, which could mean that general manager Omar Khan may have to get creative with how he fits Highsmith into the fold.
TJ Watt’s salary will take up the most room. His $30.4 million cap hit in 2024 would mean that the Steelers could, on paper, be set to pay their starting outside linebackers around $45 million per season.
Cam Heyward will be entering the final year of his contract in 2024 — unless he is extended or retires before that — and is due $22 million. Minkah Fitzpatrick will carry with him an $18 million cap hit.
In other words, that’s a whole bunch of money going to a small amount of players, all on one side of the ball. And that’s not even accounting for the $18 million due to wide receiver Diontae Johnson in 2024.
Highsmith’s 2022 season was certainly a breakout one. In his first two seasons, he accumulated just eight sacks. This past year, the former third-round pick out of Charlotte racked up 14.5 sacks, the sixth-most in the NFL. He also forced five fumbles, tied for the most in the league.
Highsmith’s camp will site those numbers in their side of negotiations. But the Steelers will likely counter with somewhat of an elephant in the room.
Of Highsmith’s 14.5 sacks, 11 came in the ten games that TJ Watt played, meaning that he put up just 3.5 sacks with Watt sidelined. He forced just one fumble in those seven games without Watt, as well.
There is some recent history for the Steelers in this type of situation. After the 2020 season, the Steelers let Bud Dupree walk into free agency. Dupree went on to sign a five-year, $82.5 million contract, with $35 million guaranteed, in Tennessee.
Since signing that deal, he has just seven sacks over the last two seasons.
There’s no basis to assume that Highsmith is heading down the same, disappointing path as Dupree. His career appears to be very much on the upswing and, unlike Dupree who was a first-round pick, Highsmith’s development has understandably taken longer.
Plus, three years ago, the Steelers were able to work Highsmith into Dupree’s role as a replacement. They currently don’t have a player with that potential on the roster, and given their other needs, may not be able to address the depth of that position in this upcoming NFL Draft.
Highsmith will have a couple of teammates to consult with over how he should approach the offseason heading into a contract year. Recently, both Fitzpatrick and Johnson — as well as Watt — sat out portions of the team’s offseason and preseason work while anticipating an extension.
“I’ll probably talk with them some to just kind of see how they handled it,” Highsmith said. “I’m just thankful for the journey that I’ve had so far and to take a step this year, my third year. I’m just really excited. I’m just grateful to have this opportunity to be where I am.”