Prior to the summer of 2023, there was a lot of focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers finally figuring out the depth issues at outside linebacker behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. For years, OLB3 has been a real issue for the Steelers.
Not anymore.
After adding Markus Golden late in free agency and selecting Nick Herbig in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers turned an area of concern on the depth chart behind Watt and Highsmith into a very clear strength. The outside linebacker group was outstanding throughout the season, making pivotal plays time and time again.
Watt was arguably the best defensive player in football, while Highsmith was very clearly a top-10 NFL edge defender even with a decline in sacks. Golden and Herbig were productive depth defenders, too, making for quite an exciting position group.
Now that the season is behind us, it’s a time for reflection and analysis, and that will focus on my Steelers positional season grades. Today, we’ll review the outside linebackers, taking an individual look at the four players who saw snaps at the position in Watt, Highsmith, Golden and Herbig.
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: QBs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: RBs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: WRs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: TEs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: OTs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: OGs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: C
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: DEs
Steelers’ Positional Grades Season Review: NTs
T.J. WATT: GRADE — A+
After missing seven games in the 2022 season with a pectoral injury and then dealing with a rib injury later in the year, T.J. Watt was itching to get back to a high level of play in 2023. Mission accomplished. From start to finish, Watt was a disruptive force, leading the NFL in sacks with 19.0 on the season. He should be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, too, but that seems unlikely to happen with the amount of public backing for guys like Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and Dallas’ Micah Parsons.
Healthy and on the field, Watt dominated each and every week. He had at least at least one sack in 13 of 17 games on the year. He was a force against the run, too, added an interception after dropping into coverage, and scored a defensive touchdown on a fumble return helping the Steelers win a game early in the season against the Cleveland Browns.
For some reason he gets knocked for his pass-rush win rate, yet he led the NFL in sacks and was near the top of the leaderboard in pressures recorded. He’s a superstar and had an incredible season, putting him closer and closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
ALEX HIGHSMITH: GRADE — A-
Though his sack totals dropped from 14.5 in 2022 to just 7.0 in 2023, Alex Highsmith was an outstanding defender throughout the year. After signing a four-year, $68 million extension last summer, Highsmith continued to ascend opposite Watt as a pass rusher and complete defender overall.
Highsmith generated 69 total pressures on the season to go along with his seven sacks. He finished among the 10 highest-graded edge defenders on the season from Pro Football Focus at 90.3 and did it all for the Steelers. He had two interceptions, including a pick-six, and added two forced fumbles. Quietly, he was the Steelers’ best run defender for a long stretch, consistently setting the edge as teams tried to run away from Watt.
The sack numbers might be disappointing for some, but the tape showed just how good Highsmith was throughout the season, putting together arguably the best year of his career from an all-around defender standpoint. The future is very bright for Highsmith.
MARKUS GOLDEN: GRADE — B-
When the Steelers signed Golden to a one-year deal in the summer, the backup outside linebacker position behind Watt and Highsmith seemed to be solved. Golden’s play throughout the season did nothing to change that view. Golden finished with three sacks on the season, playing just 230 defensive snaps. He added 13 pressures and graded out at an 86.8 overall from PFF.
As the Steelers pushed for a playoff spot, Golden was at his best, generating five pressures and a sack in Weeks 17 and 18 and then three pressures and a sack in the Wild Card loss to the Bills with Watt out with a knee injury. Golden turns 33 in March, but he showed he still has quite a bit of good football left and should be a prime candidate to return to the Steelers as a free agent on a relatively affordable one-year deal once again, making the position a clear-cut strength again.
NICK HERBIG: GRADE — B+
Egg on my face when it comes to Nick Herbig, without a doubt. When the Steelers picked him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, I was very concerned about Herbig’s potential fit at outside linebacker due to his size, making the case the Steelers should just move him off the ball to inside linebacker. Boy, was I wrong.
Herbig burst onto the scene in the preseason. Generating a handful of sacks in impressive fashion, he showed that his size is not a deterrent,and that his athleticism and flexibility are major traits to build off of. Then, in the regular season Herbig had a strong showing in just 191 snaps. He recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles, including a key one on the road in Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks, helping the Steelers extend their lead in a must-win game.
All three sacks came on the road, too, and one of his forced fumbles occurred at home in the Week Eight loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars when he stripped a fellow rookie, running back Tank Bigsby. Herbig also played a vital role on special teams, playing 352 snaps for the Steelers under special teams coordinator Danny Smith.
Herbig looks like a strong No. 3 option behind Watt and Highsmith, one who should force his way into more playing time as a rotational pass rusher.
