With a lot of money committed to one side of the football in today’s NFL, it helps to have a bargain or two at premium positions.
That’s exactly what the Pittsburgh Steelers have defensively, at least according to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin.
Benjamin, identifying the best bargains at each position in the NFL, highlighted outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and cornerback Patrick Peterson as best bargains at EDGE and cornerback Thursday. Pittsburgh was the only team in the NFL with two players highlighted as best bargains defensively, while the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers had two players as best bargains offensively in quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and left tackle Rashawn Slater, respectively.
Highsmith is quite the bargain for the Steelers — for now. Coming off a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2022, Highsmith is in line for a lucrative contract extension, one that should get done before the start of training camp in Latrobe at Saint Vincent College on July 26.
“In three years, the former third-rounder has gone from serviceable reserve to disruptive T.J. Watt sidekick, excelling while replacing the injured All-Pro in 2022, to the tune of 14.5 sacks. He may be best suited as a No. 2, but that still constitutes a new deal in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers value defensive difference-making more than most,” Benjamin writes highlighting Highsmith as a best bargain on the edge.
The former walk-on at Charlotte is quite the developmental story for the Steelers. A third-round pick in 2020, Highsmith sat behind Bud Dupree before stepping into a starting role late as a rookie due to Dupree’s knee injury. After that, the Steelers let Dupree walk in free agency, elevating Highsmith into the starting role.
In his first full season as a starter in 2021, Highsmith showed flashes in the process of recording 6.0 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. He took off in 2022, recording 14.5 sacks and a league-high five forced fumbles, though he was somehow passed over for a Pro Bowl nod.
Steelers Depot’s Dave Bryan put together an early projection on a Highsmith contract extension in early April and had Highsmith slotted for a two-year extension between $15 and $17.25 million from the Steelers, which would make him the 13th-highest paid edge rusher in the NFL, according to Over the Cap.
That two-year extension would keep him under contract through the 2025 season and in turn would allow him one more potential bite of the proverbial apple ahead of his 30th birthday as a free agent.
Even then, as the 13th-highest paid edge rusher in the NFL, based on Bryan’s projected extension, Highsmith would remain a huge bargain for the Steelers.
In the secondary, Peterson was a surprise choice for a best bargain from Benjamin.
The Steelers signed Peterson to a two-year, $14 million deal in free agency, shortly after losing Cameron Sutton to the Detroit Lions.
“Entering his age-33 season, the longtime Cardinals star isn’t necessarily a lockdown starter anymore, but his two-year Vikings run proved he’s still got timely ball skills. Now alongside Minkah Fitzpatrick, he’s primed to be a steal of a rental in Steel City,” Benjamin writes regarding Peterson.
Peterson turns 33 next month, which means he’s much, much closer to the end of his career than anything else. That said, he is coming off of a very strong 2022 season, recording five interceptions and turning in the best PFF grade of his career since the 2018 season in Arizona.
While he’s been primarily a boundary corner for nearly all of his Hall of Fame career, Peterson has hinted all offseason on his “All Things Covered” podcast with cousin and former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden that he’s going to move around quite a bit for the Steelers defensively. Initially, that seemed like a bit of a stretch for a cornerback who is on the wrong side of 30 and played some of his best ball in zone coverage.
But early returns from OTAs and minicamp have Peterson moving all over the Steelers defense in the secondary, giving offenses new looks.
Peterson played coy about exactly how he’s been used but said he might have a similar role in 2023 as Sutton had the past two seasons. Sutton replaced Steven Nelson as an outside corner in 2021 and 2022 but moved all around the defense, bumping inside to the slot, acting as the dime defender, and taking part in post-snap rotations to give quarterbacks different looks.
Being able to move around and become a defensive chess piece has the potential of adding additional stress on offenses, which have to account for floating players like him. With Peterson’s experience and high football IQ, moving him to the slot or other places on the field could create chances for him to bait the quarterback and jump routes while hiding any speed lost in his age-33 season.
If he can maintain his level of play from Minnesota in 2022 into 2023 with Pittsburgh, Peterson will be quite the bargain for the Steelers, especially on a loaded defense top to bottom.
