The Pittsburgh Steelers are most of the way through the first part of the offseason leading to the draft. Before we get there, we’re going to take stock of how the roster has evolved over the past several weeks. Position by position, we’ll break down who’s coming and going and what’s next, for those rookies and those already here.
Position: Outside Linebacker
Total Positional Figure: 5
Offseason Additions: 0
Offseason Deletions: 2
Players Retained:
T.J. Watt: While Watt led the NFL in sacks in 2023, which is kind of his thing, he unfortunately didn’t win enough pass rushes. He lost out to Myles Garrett for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, in case you needed a reminder. Enjoy your lunch.
Alex Highsmith: One could make the argument that Highsmith played his best in 2023 for the Steelers. The obstacle that argument faces is his stat line. He had more than twice as many sacks the year before, finishing with just seven last year.
Nick Herbig: Last year’s fourth-round draft pick, Herbig punched above his weight in multiple ways. He outplayed his draft position, arguably, and he also proved he can play at this level with his frame. Some draft analysts questioned his future on the edge because of that, projecting a possible move inside. Of course, he played under 200 snaps, with barely any extended work. Right now, he’s poised for a bigger role for the Steelers, and he’ll have to prove himself again.
David Perales: A 2023 college free agent, Perales perhaps showed a flash here and there, but nothing more. He spent time on the practice squad last year and is likely headed for the same path later this year. The Steelers released him from the practice squad numerous times during the season as needs arose.
Jeremiah Moon: The Steelers claimed Moon off waivers after the Baltimore Ravens released him. He has relatively little playing experience but has some special teams capability. Right now, he is their fourth rusher behind the starters and Herbig, most likely.
Players Added: N/A
Players Deleted:
Markus Golden: The Steelers managed to add Golden for peanuts after the draft last year. Hopefully they manage to pull off the same trick twice. A former starter, he produced at a high level relative to the number of snaps he played. While Nick Herbig deserves an opportunity for a bigger role, you don’t pass on Golden to make it happen. Perhaps he’s waiting out the offseason to find the best opportunity for himself, though.
Chapelle Russell: No surprises here that the Steelers showed no interest in re-signing Russell. He spent the entirety of the 2023 season on the Reserve/Injured List. We don’t even know if he is healthy right now.
Notes And Draft Outlook:
The Steelers are set with their starters, obviously, for at least another couple years. Nick Herbig looks like he could be the real deal, though I don’t know that I see a future starter here. They still need to round out the depth chart, however, as David Perales and Jeremiah Moon don’t move the needle.
Re-signing Markus Golden after the draft would be a very smart move if they can manage it. This is not even a great class for edge rushers.
