A series we began last year we’ll conduct throughout the offseason. A review of individual players’ seasons, looking at their good, bad, role, and future with the team.
We’ll continue with outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.
Alex Highsmith – Outside Linebacker (Entering 4th Year)
Pros: Nuanced pass rusher. Strong hand use and pass rush plan. Sets up moves early. Heady player with wheels always turning on how to attack tackles. Capable of winning in a variety of ways, outside or inside. Employs large toolbox of rush moves. Potent inside spin and times it up well. Good athlete and able to bend the edge. Finisher with nose for the football and can rip it away. Increased play strength and anchor in setting the run. Chases run hard from backside and plays with good motor. Durable and available and played high volume of snaps last year. Dependable player and person.
Productive and found more consistency in his third year, sacks didn’t just come in bunches (full sack in nine games last season, full sack in just six games across 2020 and 2021 seasons). Able to get depth in hook zone and defend curl/flat. Overall impressive hand usage. Play took big leap in 2022. Good teammate and locker room presence.
Positive Clips (Inside Spin Move Working):
Cons: Not an A-plus athlete, isn’t the freak other top AFC pass rushers are. Rush plan got a bit predictable, and tackles began to sit on moves (including inside spin) late last year. Missed tackle rate slightly higher than ideal. Lacks overwhelming power, bull rush is improved but not his calling card. Offers little in man coverage. May focus on having too many moves instead of refining a couple. Doesn’t make as many impact plays against the run (five tackles for loss in 2022, T.J. Watt had four in half the time).
Negative Clips (Inside Spin Countered Late In Year):
Role: Steelers’ starting ROLB. Logged 941 snaps in 2022, 88 percent, starting all 17 games. Registered 14.5 sacks (6th in NFL) with five forced fumbles (tied 1st in NFL). Averaged 11.4 snap-per-pressure rate (16.1 in 2021, 13.9 as a rookie). Dropped into coverage 9.7 percent of the time. Aligned as an off-ball linebacker on 13 snaps in team’s 3-4 over or 3-5 front.
Future: Likely to receive long-term deal before Week One, potentially before training camp opens. Will remain as the team’s starting ROLB for 2023. Highsmith busted out in a big way last season and put a full season together with a well-rounded game. He’ll just have to keep building and tweaking his approach as tackles and offenses realize his impact, even if T.J. Watt will still see most of the attention.
