When you do business with one player, you’re also doing business with all future players. Your history of contract negotiations, coaching, and general treatment is your resume to the rest of the NFL. Now, college players don’t have much choice where they go, but if you draft a good one, you’re going to want to keep him around, and being able to show your history of taking care of your own holds a lot of value.
That’s not to say the Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn’t have otherwise been able to get a deal done with fourth-year OLB Alex Highsmith this offseason. But based on his own words, it seemed to play an outsized role in his desire to stay where he is, even if he could have possibly gotten more elsewhere in a year or two.
“Being here and part of this city the past three years, the rich history, the tradition, I know why so many people want to be a part of this organization”, he said during his press conference yesterday, “and I’m just so blessed to be a part of it for the next five years. I hope to be here a super long time”.
A third-round pick in 2020 out of Charlotte, Highsmith ascended into a full-time starting role in 2021, and he began to blossom in the second half of that season. He followed that up with a breakout campaign last year that had him on the cusp of a Pro Bowl, posting 14.5 sacks and a league-leading five forced fumbles.
“I just felt like this is the place for me. I love being here, love playing for this defense, the system that I’m in, the coaching staff, everybody. I love being here”, he said, expressing his belief that being in Pittsburgh will help him continue to nourish his game and take it to new levels.
“I know that my best ball is in front of me. Even last year I felt like I could’ve played way better last year”, he said. “I just look forward to continuing to improve and just being here, I wanted to let everyone know that I’m here to work and here to get better”.
He’ll be well and truly here without the obstacle of contract negotiations looming over him as the Steelers get set to start training camp at Saint Vincent College. Players in his position who have not yet gotten deals done will tend to “hold in”, showing up and doing everything but participating in on-field drills, particularly team drills.
That’s what his battery mate T.J. Watt did when he was up for his, at the time, record-setting extension in 2021. He missed most of training camp practices while working out to the side on his own, but he still went on to have a historically great season.
Highsmith’s deal keeps the duo in Pittsburgh for another few years at least, and I imagine both hope it will go on longer than that. It’s more than just a job here. “I love this city. I think this city truly values hard-working people”, Highsmith said, “and I feel like I’m one of those people and I feel like I’m a Steeler through and through”.
Born and raised in the Carolinas, growing up a Panthers fan, staying close to home at small-school Charlotte, Highsmith three years in now finds himself a Yinzer. His work ethic and humble demeanor allowed him to fit right in right away. Now he’s on the verge of becoming one of the next stars of the city.
