The Pittsburgh Steelers have a few recently paid young pieces trying to turn summer security into fall production, and Nick Herbig just gave the team a sign that his breakout might be coming fast.
Herbig’s Week 6 line against the Cleveland Browns was the kind of stat sheet that snaps people to attention: six tackles, all solo, and 2.0 sacks. For a player who had drawn criticism after a quiet start outside of his Week 2 flashes against the New England Patriots, it was a badly needed response.
Now the 24-year-old edge rusher heads to Paris, France, and the Steelers are positioned to lean on him even more in their Week 7 international game against the New Orleans Saints.
That opportunity could grow quickly because starting outside linebacker Alex Highsmith recently showed up on the injury report with a groin injury. The severity of the issue is still unknown, but Pittsburgh does not need to wait for a final answer before adjusting its plans.
Herbig is right there as the next man up, and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham can keep him on the field in a bigger role if Highsmith is limited.
Through six games, Herbig has played 204 defensive snaps, which equals 54% of the Steelers’ total defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference. That usage already matters. If Highsmith is sidelined or restricted, Herbig’s snap count should climb, and so should his chances to make a bigger impact.
The encouraging part for Pittsburgh is simple: when Herbig gets extended run, he tends to deliver.
There’s also a little recent history working in his favor. Last season, the Steelers crossed the Atlantic for a regular-season game and met the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland. Herbig was one of the standouts in that trip, finishing with five total tackles and 1.5 sacks while making Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz uncomfortable all night.
He does not need much extra fuel to play with edge, but that performance overseas is at least a useful reminder of what he can do on foreign soil.
The Steelers need the version of Herbig who showed up in Week 6, and the stage in Paris gives him a chance to keep building on it. If that outing was the start of something, Week 7 is where it can really start to look real.
In Other News...
Steelers Face One Paris Question If Sunday Goes Sideways
The Steelers landed in Paris on Friday morning after an overnight flight, leaving them with less than two days to settle in before Sundays matchup with the Saints. New Orleans got there earlier in the week, a contrast that has already fueled a quiet debate around the Steelers travel plan and whether the tighter turnaround could matter once the game starts.
Aaron Rodgers made it clear he would have preferred an earlier arrival, and former Steeler Breiden Fehoko said some players were openly unhappy with the trip and felt worn down. The schedule was a coaching-staff decision, though, and the real test now is whether the extra miles and shorter adjustment window show up on the field or fade into the background by kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Defense Faces A Bigger Saints Test Than Fans Realize
The Steelers defense has been trending in the right direction under coordinator Patrick Graham, tightening up just enough to make opponents work for every clean throw. Over the last three games, Pittsburgh has allowed only two passing touchdowns while coming away with three interceptions, a stretch that has helped steady a unit that needed to find its footing.
Sundays trip to New Orleans still brings a different kind of challenge, with Tyler Shough entering Week 7 productive enough to stress a secondary that may not be at full strength. Brandin Echols is out with a hamstring injury, and Jalen Ramsey is working through a wrist issue, which makes the task of slowing Shough and his connection with Chris Olave look a lot less comfortable than the recent numbers suggest. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face A Risky Alex Highsmith Decision They May Regret
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, the Steelers are at least entertaining the kind of move that can reshape a season in a hurry. According to a report from The Athletics Daniel Popper, the front office is weighing a player-for-player deal involving outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, a notable twist for a defense that has leaned on him as one of its most reliable edge threats while the roster still has other areas needing attention.
The appeal is obvious enough: Pittsburgh could look to address needs in the secondary or at wide receiver if the right partner emerges, and a swap like this would force the team to think beyond one position group. But Highsmith is also a central piece of what the Steelers do up front, so any serious discussion carries real risk for a defense that has relied on his production and consistency while the deadline clock keeps ticking. [Read more 🡒]