Pittsburgh Steelers Exit Meeting: OLB Nick Herbig
Experience: 2 Years
Nick Herbig became everybody’s favorite Steelers player as a rookie in 2023. As an encore, he didn’t do too shabby, though he suffered from some ups and downs. He was quiet, for example, for much of the final month and a half of the season. But he offset that with some impact plays, leaving him with a bright future.
As a rookie, Herbig recorded three sacks on 191 snaps. He bumped up his playing time to 415 snaps in 2024 and nearly doubled his sack production as a result with 5.5. Provided that he could hold up as a starter across a full season, he certainly has double-digit-sack potential.
But the Steelers still have T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in front of Nick Herbig, and that won’t change immediately. They will sign Watt to a massive new extension this offseason, and Highsmith is under contract through 2027. Unless the Steelers trade Highsmith, Herbig is just going to have to be happy in a rotation.
Of course, the Steelers have arguably been behind the trend in terms of quality pass-rusher depth. Many of the better pass-rushing teams have a Nick Herbig as their third rusher, but the Steelers for far too long had a deficit there.
The biggest outstanding question regarding Herbig is just what kind of volume he can take on. There isn’t really anything that he can’t do, but to do everything and to do it consistently is a challenge. He is somewhat undersized with shorter-than-ideal arms, and it’s not as though that never poses a problem. While he knows how to set the edge, there are also times he can get thrown. He has great quickness, but the better tackles will stall his bull rush.
Is a super-sub the ideal role for Nick Herbig, or will he eventually thrive as a starter for the Steelers? One thing we know is he has exceptional work ethic and a hunger to learn and grow. He has a football intelligence about him and understands his craft. Even Watt has admitted learning a thing or two from him, and the older guys simply love him.
A 2023 fourth-round draft pick, Nick Herbig has played 606 defensive snaps across 30 games. He has also played 526 special teams snaps, accounting for a not insignificant portion of his 49 career tackles. He also has 8.5 career sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and an impressive six forced fumbles. His knack for the “big play” is what can help separate him and tide him over between quieter stretches.
The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves at home, the inevitable result of another early playoff exit. This is a repeated pattern for the organization, with no clear end in sight. As the Steelers conduct their own exit meetings, we will go down the roster conducting our own. Who should stay, and who should go, and how? Who should expect a bigger role next season, and who might deserve a new contract? We’ll explore those questions and more in these articles, part of an annual series.
