Steelers Now
Steve Palazzolo of the 33rd Team has an interesting comparison for Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig. He compares Herbig’s track to stardom to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro edge rusher Shaquil Barrett.
Like Herbig, Barrett wasn’t a full-time starter when he cashed in on a big payday from the Bucs after playing his first five seasons in Denver. Barrett made the Pro Bowl and earned second=team All-Pro honors in his first season in Tampa Bay in 2019.
“There’s a lot of good comps for Herbig of somewhat rotational players,” Palazzolo said Thursday on his Check the Mic podcast. “The other one that comes to mind for me is Shaq Barrett. It took him until year six to become a full-time player.
“With Denver, it was DeMarcus Ware, Von Miller, and then Shaq Barrett. He was the No. 3 edge there, rotational player, we always loved him, small-sample size effectiveness, and he goes to Tampa and he was a really good full-time player. I think there are enough comps historically that you’re not concerned about the small sample size with Herbig.”
Barrett also was undersized like Herbig, standing at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. He had a fast motor and an elite get-off.
Herbig, 24, has displayed exactly why he demanded such a payday over the past three years, racking up 79 tackles, 16 sacks, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, three passes defensed and one interception all while working in a rotation with fellow outside linebackers Watt and Highsmith.
His production has also climbed each year. After recording three sacks as a rookie, Herbig posted 5.5 sacks in 2024 before setting a new career high with 7.5 sacks in 2025. He has not only become an important rotational contributor but has also positioned himself as a cornerstone of the franchise’s future at outside linebacker.
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said the staff has been planning on innovative schemes involving Herbig for months.
“You don’t draw up schemes as the season gets going. These are things we’ve been working on since January. We’re excited to get Nick done. He’s part of some of the newer things we’re doing moving forward.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Analyst Compares Nick Herbig to Ex-Buccaneers All-Pro Edge Rusher
