Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith in line for payday after huge year
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He had more sacks this past season than all but only three men have ever recorded for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This particular outside linebacker’s sack total in 2022 was more than the likes of Joey Porter or Greg Lloyd (officially), or Joe Greene or L.C. Greenwood (unofficially) ever tallied in a season for “Blitzburgh.”
No, not T.J. Watt.
It was Alex Highsmith who led the Steelers and finished sixth in the NFL in sacks.
But about the only thing quieter than Highsmith’s disposition is the seeming lack of buzz or recognition regarding his 14½-sack season.
Highsmith’s 2022 featured more sacks than only Watt and James Harrison for the Steelers in any of the past 39 years. But for myriad reasons, it seemed to go under the radar.
Watt (2021) and Harrison (2008) won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards for their 22½- and 16-sack seasons, respectively. Watt was second in NFL DPOY balloting in 2021 when he had 15 sacks.
Highsmith’s 14½ sacks, though, not only didn’t garner him much national accolades — they barely even registered in Pittsburgh. Consider that never in Mike Tomlin’s final 14 weekly news conferences of the season was he even asked a question about Highsmith. That included the season wrap-up session Jan. 9, a day after Highsmith had 2½ sacks against the Cleveland Browns.
Not long after Tomlin talked, Highsmith was asked about his breakout season in his third NFL campaign. The answer, for Highsmith, was predictably a monotone mix of understated humbleness and unpretentious plain talk.
“I am just thankful and grateful to be healthy coming out of this season,” Highsmith said. “I have no lingering injuries — (aside from) of course I’ve got my little bumps and little bruises and stuff like that — but I’m just so thankful to come out of this season healthy. And we will see what happens.”
What happens in regards to Highsmith this offseason is of interest because he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract and is therefore a target for an extension.
A player coming off a breakout season who had been drafted and developed by the club and is viewed as a quality teammate well-liked throughout the organization? Under normal circumstances, an extension would be an almost-automatic decision for the Steelers.
But with $112 million committed to another player at his position (Watt), it is no slam dunk the Steelers’ braintrust will be willing and able to offer Highsmith the type of contract he can command.
For reference, Spotrac.com says “market value” for a Highsmith contract is 4 years, $55.6 million (an average of almost $14M/year). Overthecap.com values Highsmith’s 2022 season at $16.52 million worth of production.
“I am just trusting that God has a plan,” Highsmith said when asked if he’s thought about his extension status, “and I know he is going to have me wherever he wants me.
“I hope to be here.”
Highsmith is due a bargain $2.743 million salary with a $2.951 million cap hit in 2023. Of course, an extension would rip up the end of that deal and replace it with a large lump sum in the form of a signing bonus.
Traditionally, when dealing with starting-caliber players they want to extend, the Steelers negotiate over the summer with the contract often announced during training camp or the preseason. The club policy is not to negotiate during the regular season. Of course, an added wrinkle in recent years across the league is the “hold in,” where a player seeking a contract extension sits out team drills and preseason games while a new pact is negotiated.
Highsmith is by far the Steelers’ biggest priority for an extension in 2023.
“He’s developed into a pretty good football player,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said late in the season.
In addition to the sacks, Highsmith tied for the NFL lead in forced fumbles with five. He had 63 tackles (38 solo, 12 for loss) and 20 quarterback hits. Four of his sacks forced fumbles, tied for second-most in the NFL.
Extending the sample size back into December 2021, Highsmith over his past 20 games has 17½ sacks and six forced fumbles. The former is tied for second-most in the NFL in that span, and the latter leads the league.
“It’s just the natural maturation process of a solid young player,” Tomlin said during the season. “He showed signs as a rookie and carved out a role for himself and participated. He ascended in Year 2 when Bud (Dupree) left in free agency. Now, he’s in Year 3, he’s had a lap around the track as a starter.”
While Highsmith was viewed as solid overall and strong against the run during his first two seasons after being a 2020 fourth-round pick out of Charlotte, he had only eight sacks in 32 games. In 2022, the career sack total almost tripled.
Watt laughed last month when asked to recall how raw Highsmith was as a rookie. A tactician at his craft, Watt noted that Highsmith had only one move back then — the “cross chop” — “and it was a bad cross chop.”
“He’s got the cross chop down to a science now,” Watt said, “and he’s also got the spin, he’s got power, and everything is complementary with his moves. It’s been fun to watch his pass-rush package evolve.”
The way Highsmith talks, it’s fair to assume the package will continue to evolve heading into what could be a contract year.
“Just really continue to get stronger and faster and really put in the same work and even more work than I did last offseason because I never want to get content,” he said. “I never want to be someone who gets complacent. I always want to be getting better. No matter what kind of season I had, I can always be better, so that’s just kind of my goal.”
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