With the Steelers’ 2023 regular season about underway following a disappointing year that came up just short of reaching the playoffs, it’s time to start finding out whether or not the answers to last year’s questions are on the roster, tested all throughout training camp and the preseason.
Both sides of the ball got key additions through both free agency and the draft, with new starters, including potentially rookies, amounting to half a dozen or more. The offensive line, the linebackers, and the secondary were all key targets since last year. But what will they look like?
These sorts of uncertainties are what I will look to address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, I will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
Topic Statement: Nick Herbig will be the number three outside linebacker sooner rather than later.
Explanation: After a great training camp and preseason, rookie fourth-round OLB Nick Herbig’s stock value is sky-high. The weekly subject of preseason tape analysts, he showed his NFL-level ability, yet he is also playing with Markus Golden, an eighth-year veteran and borderline Pro Bowl talent with multiple seasons of double-digit sacks.
Buy:
Talent wins the day, and Nick Herbig has a lot of talent. I don’t know that he will be the third outside linebacker in the season opener, but if he’s not, it shouldn’t take too long after that. The simple fact of the matter is that he has all the tools it takes to man that position.
As I’ve talked about on multiple occasions, the thing that impresses me most about this rookie is the same thing that stood out to me about Alex Highsmith coming out. That was his above-the-neck understanding not only of the game, but of what he needs to do to continue to get better.
Not a lot of college outside linebackers come into the NFL with a detailed understanding of how to build a pass-rush plan. He already does that. He has an arsenal of moves. And he combines that with athleticism and bend to win. As long as he keeps winning, he’ll keep getting on the field—at least when T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are ready for a break. That’s a good problem to have.
Sell:
Let’s not underrate Markus Golden here. While Herbig flashes and put up the sack numbers, Golden was an effective defender during preseason play as well, with less playing time. More importantly, he was the more complete player on the whole and has the body of work in meaningful games behind him.
Golden will begin the season as the third outside linebacker, but both of them should play a reasonable amount. There may not even be a “third” outside linebacker if the pair of edge rushers play a substantial number of snaps together.
One option I could see is having Golden as the player who steps into the starting lineup in the event of an injury but having Herbig as a situational player in all circumstances, particularly as a pass rusher.
