While the Steelers wait for training camp to get rolling, Alex Highsmith found something else to talk about: Lionel Messi.
Highsmith took to his Instagram story after Argentina’s 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16, posting a photo of Messi with the caption, "No debate [goat emoji]". Messi backed up the praise with another big performance, scoring the tying goal in the 83rd minute. After winning the 2022 World Cup, he now leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals.
For Pittsburgh, though, the bigger conversation around Highsmith is what comes next. The 28-year-old still has two years left on the four-year, $68 million extension he signed in 2023, so his contract situation is not expected to become a pressing issue until next offseason.
Even so, the money already committed to Pittsburgh’s edge rushers makes the picture tricky. Nick Herbig signed a four-year, $100 million deal at the beginning of June that keeps him in Pittsburgh through the 2030 campaign. That extension wasn’t a lock heading into the offseason, especially with the Steelers also weighing future deals for Joey Porter Jr., Darnell Washington, Keeanu Benton and Spencer Anderson from their 2023 draft class.
Herbig got his deal done first, and Washington followed soon after, a sign the Steelers believe Herbig can keep climbing after an impressive 2025 campaign and eventually become the team’s No. 1 option off the edge.
Then there’s T.J. Watt, who signed a three-year, $123 million extension last July and was the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the time. That leaves Pittsburgh with two major outside linebackers on the books through the 2028 season.
Highsmith has certainly earned his place in that group. He led the team with 9.5 sacks last year and remains one of the Steelers’ best players no matter where you rank him on the roster.
But with the Steelers already pouring major resources into the EDGE room and likely facing more extensions for Porter Jr., Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier over the next calendar year or so, finding room for Highsmith could be a challenge. That doesn’t mean Pittsburgh is shopping him.
The Steelers still want to contend for a playoff spot and stay as competitive as possible. It just makes it hard to picture Highsmith still being there once his current deal runs out.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans Are Starting To Worry About A Supposed Defensive Anchor
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Patrick Queen is the name that hangs over that conversation. After arriving in Pittsburgh on a three-year deal in 2024 and earning a Pro Bowl nod that season, he has still left some uneven tape behind him, including a PFF finish last year that placed him near the bottom of the off-ball linebacker group. For a defense that wants stability from its supposed anchor, the question is whether Queen can turn that inconsistency into something much closer to the standard the Steelers thought they were buying. [Read more 🡒]
Former Chargers 1,000-Yard Back Suddenly Carries Unfinished Business Elsewhere
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Najee Harris, a former Pro Bowler who made his biggest mark with Pittsburgh before a recent stint with the Chargers, has been mentioned as a possible fit for the Seahawks backfield mix. His rsum still carries weight, but the bigger question is whether Seattle sees him as a short-term insurance policy or something more, especially with the roster construction in that position still very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]
Former Steelers Tight End Suddenly Draws New AFC Buzz
Jonnu Smiths name is back in the AFC conversation after a career year with Miami put him on the radar of teams looking for help at tight end. Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports pointed to the former Steelers tight end as a free-agent option for Denver, where the Broncos have been searching for more production at a spot that has not given them much this season.
For Pittsburgh, Smiths rise is a familiar reminder of how quickly a veteran tight end can change a market when he finds the right fit. He flashed enough last year to make teams take notice, and the Broncos need only sharpens the intrigue around a player who has already shown he can still be a difference-maker after the catch. [Read more 🡒]