The Dallas Cowboys’ pass rush has been a mess through the first three weeks, and that alone makes the team a natural fit to be watching the edge-rusher market.
Dallas has generated 43 pressures, but only two of them have turned into sacks. Even worse, the only edge defender with a sack is Donovan Ezeiruaku, who has 0.5.
That kind of production is why Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher Alex Highsmith has started to look like a name worth tracking. The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones recently put together a list of trade candidates based on what he’s hearing from NFL executives, and Highsmith was one of the players he highlighted.
“After shaking down sources this week, I’m keeping an eye on a number of players,” Jones wrote before listing Highsmith as one of six players he's watching moving forward.
A deal doesn’t appear likely right now, but the Steelers could find themselves in a tricky spot by the trade deadline if their uneven start continues. Highsmith is in the final year of his contract in 2027, and moving him now would give Pittsburgh a better return because an acquiring team could get more than one season of production, assuming no extension is worked out.
There is always the possibility that the Steelers keep him and try to extend him, but that looks less likely with T.J. Watt already on a big contract and Nick Herbig having been extended this offseason.
Dallas and Pittsburgh have also done business before. In recent years, the two teams have completed three major trades, with George Pickens, Broderick Jones and Joey Porter Jr. serving as the centerpiece of each deal.
That history matters because the Cowboys badly need help and Highsmith would bring immediate credibility to a thin edge group. He already has three sacks this season, which is more than the Cowboys have as a team. He also followed up a 9.5-sack season that was even more impressive because he missed four games with an injury.
If Dallas landed him, Highsmith would step in as the best edge rusher on the roster right away.
The price tag would not be small. Highsmith could be worth at least a third-round pick, especially after Jonathan Greenard brought back two for the Minnesota Vikings in the trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, despite Greenard also needing a new deal.
That creates a challenge for Dallas, which is short on future draft capital. The Cowboys only have four picks in 2027, and none of them are in the third round.
They do, however, have Pittsburgh’s fourth, which could be part of a package with another pick. Their 2028 collection is more flexible, with a selection in every round except the second and seventh.
Giving up more draft capital would not be simple, but Jerry Jones has said he is open to doing more to help the defense, even after the Porter trade.
If the Cowboys’ pass rush keeps sputtering as the deadline approaches, Highsmith could be exactly the kind of impact edge rusher Dallas decides to chase.
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The part that stings a little more now is the name Dallas tried to get in the mix before Parker was hired. The Cowboys requested permission to interview Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, but Atlanta blocked it, keeping him in place after he had already built a strong defensive reputation there. Ulbrichs group has again been disruptive this season, leading the league in pressures and pressure rate even while working through personnel challenges, which only makes the missed opportunity feel bigger in hindsight. [Read more 🡒]
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Cowboys May Need Real Lineup Changes To Stop This Early Slide
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Ameer Speed has given the staff a reason to look harder at the cornerback rotation after making the most of his limited snaps, and the offensive line has its own pressure point on the right side. Terence Steele has struggled in both pass protection and the run game, which is why Broderick Jones is now part of the conversation as a possible replacement if Dallas decides the slide requires a more aggressive lineup shakeup. [Read more 🡒]