The Pittsburgh Steelers head into training camp with a problem most teams would love to have: too many outside linebackers, not enough snaps.
That’s the reality at the top of the depth chart, where T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith still anchor the group, but the room behind them is crowded fast.
Nick Herbig has a new contract. Jack Sawyer has a year under his belt.
And Patrick Graham is staring at four players who all want a bigger role in 2026.
The numbers only sharpen the squeeze. Watt, Highsmith, Herbig and Sawyer combined for 25 sacks in 2025, a haul that gives Graham a surplus of pass rushers most coordinators would happily take. The issue now is simple: how do you get all that talent on the field without leaving one of them stuck as a pricey observer?
Herbig already has more than a few third-down appearances on his résumé, and the contract he signed makes it clear the Steelers expect more than a situational spark. Sawyer, though, is the one who has the most to prove. He’ll need a real second-year jump or risk settling in as the fourth man in a four-player rotation.
One obvious answer is to put three outside linebackers on the field at once. Watt recently said he’s open to moving around, and both he and Highsmith have kicked inside on passing downs before.
Herbig’s burst gives him value from different spots, too. That kind of package could turn the Steelers’ edge group into a problem offenses don’t want to solve.
Watt still stands as Pittsburgh’s best defensive player, but trimming a few snaps in September could pay off later in the year when the games get heavier in December. Highsmith could benefit from the same approach, especially if Herbig shows he can handle early-down work without becoming vulnerable against the run.
Herbig carries the clearest pressure for playing time because the Steelers just paid him. Contracts don’t hand out snaps, but they do send a message. Pittsburgh didn’t make that investment for him to keep waiting around for Watt or Highsmith to need a breather.
Sawyer’s camp may be the toughest of the bunch. His rookie season - two interceptions and a sack on just 25% of defensive snaps - gave him momentum, but he’s still fighting for a role against three players with clearer paths to the field. Special teams, run defense and inside flexibility could end up deciding whether he becomes a weekly contributor or the guy fans are left debating every Sunday after he plays nine defensive snaps.
Every pressure Sawyer creates in camp only makes Graham’s job harder. If the Steelers start leaning into three-edge looks, or if Watt and Highsmith spend more time inside on passing downs, the rotation gets even more complicated.
Sawyer has to give the new defensive coordinator a reason to expand the package. Otherwise, Week 1 could arrive with the other three outside linebackers getting the best assignments while he watches from the side.
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