Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith was not at the team’s minicamp practice on Wednesday due to an illness, according to team spokesman Burt Lauten.
Lauten noted that Highsmith will continue to be at the practice facility as he has been all offseason.
Alan Saunders of Steelers Now reports that Highsmith did report to the Steelers facility this morning before being excused.
With Nick Herbig receiving a four-year, $100 million contract extension on Tuesday, there’s been speculation that Highsmith could be on the trade block. Highsmith’s absence did not have anything to do with Herbig’s new deal, however.
The Steelers have three elite edge rushers in Herbig, Highsmith and T.J. Watt. All three have received hefty paydays, too.
“I think the most important thing is, when you look at the business side of this, you pay players that obviously you feel deserve it,” McCarthy said Wednesday at the second mandatory minicamp practice. “So, you can never have enough good football players, especially at the outside linebacker or the linebacker position. They’re all playmakers.
“So I am thrilled to death that we have them all.”
McCarthy believes he has one of the best edge rusher trios in the NFL.
“It’s a premier position in the National Football League, and we feel we have one of the premier groups,” McCarthy said.
“You gotta find ways to play everybody. This is not an 11-man operation.”
Highsmith is entering his seventh season with the Steelers. He’s racked up 45 sacks and forced 10 fumbles since being drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith Absent from Minicamp
