Quincy Roche was the top reserve on the depth chart at outside linebacker by the time the Pittsburgh Steelers were on the board to select in the fourth round. They used that draft pick on Wisconsin edge rusher Nick Herbig, but they weren’t done there. Nearly a month after the draft, they also signed veteran OLB Markus Golden to a one-year contract.
In the eyes of seasoned NFL analyst Matt Williamson, that was a great thing for Herbig, even if it means a reduction in the chances of him playing a sizeable role on defense during his rookie season. It’s a topic he discussed recently on the Irish Steelers Podcast.
“I do think the signing of Markus Golden was really good for him because I didn’t want to ask him to be the true number three there”, he said of Herbig. “Having Golden there to play 20 snaps a game when they need a break or somebody’s injured I think is great for Herbig’s development…I think that’s asking too much, so I think that all works out for him big-picture”.
Golden, a former second-round draft pick, is nearing a decade of NFL experience. He has more than 100 games with 68 starts under his belt. He should pass the career 5000-snap mark at some point during the 2023 season, and three away should also reach 50 career sacks.
Herbig, on the other hand, is obviously just getting things started, and even playing in a more pro-ready system like at Wisconsin, he still has a lot of things to work on. That includes adjusting his body and his physique to an NFL edge-rusher frame, if that’s where he’s ultimately going to play. But there’s still plenty to like about him and the potential for his future.
“His advanced metrics in terms of pass rush win rate, pressures…are extremely, extremely high. So that’s great. He’s a very good athlete”, Williamson said. He also added that “he’s versatile enough to maybe play the second level like a [Lawrence] Timmons or Chad Brown did as well as rush off the edge”.
I don’t know when or if that will ever come into play, but I do believe that for now the coaching staff is going to leave him on the edge. As long as he holds up playing there and doesn’t look as though he is overmatched and overpowered, I imagine that’s where they hope to keep him.
But he could also really use a year of NFL strength and conditioning work before they really want to ask him to take on a larger role, and that’s where Golden has value. He can be that veteran presence off the bench in 2023 and serve as a bridge before Herbig is ready to take more onto his plate perhaps by next season.
That seems to be how Williamson feels it would go best for the rookie. His priority this year will be on special teams, though if indeed he is the fourth rusher (and not, say, Roche), then he should still get the opportunity to make some appearances on defense as well. Just enough to wet his whistle.
