Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison reveals which edge rusher he thinks the team will part ways with.
There has been great debate about which edge rusher the Pittsburgh Steelers could part ways with following outside linebacker Nick Herbig‘s massive four-year, $100 million contract extension. However, former Steelers linebacker James Harrison believes he has the answer.
Harrison thinks it will eventually be T.J. Watt who is the odd man out of the Steelers outside linebacker room and Alex Highsmith will be kept with Herbig full time.
“Trading Highsmith is not going to happen because they just paid Herbig,” Harrison said on his Deebo & Joe podcast. “I feel like it’s gonna be a transition over the next couple of years where we keep that group, and like I said, after that second year, when T.J.’s guarantee is done, I think he jumps to $40-something million that last year, and he’s going to be 34, 35, I think they release him.”
There is certainly a strong case for that to be the scenario that plays out. Watt, who will turn 32 this year, is coming off a season in which he had a significant dip in production.
After having double digit sack totals in six of his last seven seasons, Watt had just seven in 2025.
That isn’t bad by any means, but it isn’t the type of production the Steelers are paying him for, either.
Meanwhile, Highsmith, who will only be 29 this year, is coming of his second best season with 9.5 sacks in just 13 games.
Highsmith has struggled to stay healthy over the past two years, which could influence Pittsburgh to move on from him instead. But that seems to be a decision for another day as the Steelers are more than happy to roll with all three in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: James Harrison Names Odd Man Out of Steelers OLB Room
