How many snaps will Nick Herbig steal from Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt this season for the Steelers defense?
Can a backup be a breakout star without becoming a starter in the process? We might be asking that about the Steelers’ Nick Herbig this year, a starter-in-waiting behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. A 2023 fourth-round pick, he showed he can make an impact as a rookie and do so in limited snaps.
Herbig managed to tally three sacks and two forced fumbles in under 200 defensive snaps played last season. He reportedly was one of the best players on the field during training camp, and he certainly was on Saturday night against the Bufalo Bills. The second-year man finished the Steelers’ second preseason game with four total tackles, including a sack and a half. To his chagrin, he had to share one, but at least he did so with his “other brother”, Keeanu Benton.
Nick Herbig faced questions about his size and his ability to hold up on the perimeter in the NFL, but so far he has given no indication that will be a hindrance in his career. The only problem is he is on a team with arguably the best pair of pass rushers in the NFL. T.J. Watt is the best defender in the entire NFL, and Alex Highsmith is a borderline Pro Bowler himself.
Yet the Steelers experimented with packages in training camp that included Herbig on the field with Watt and Highsmith. Barring injury, that is the only way to increase Herbig’s snaps while not taking the starters off the field.
The Steelers have, very occasionally, utilized three rushers in the past, though it feels like it’s been quite some time. With Herbig as that third rusher, though, they may finally feel the urge to dust the mothballs off that look.
Then again, the Steelers and every other team experiment with things in training camp—like Kendrick Green at fullback. The Steelers like Herbig, of course, but they also like their inside linebackers, including as rushers. Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, and Payton Wilson are all capable of rushing, so they don’t necessarily need another edge on the field to get the sort of pressure packages they might be looking for.
But perhaps Watt and Highsmith can stand to get more rest this year. Nick Herbig would be all too happy to oblige.
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are in training camp and the preseason and the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
