The Pittsburgh Steelers have a jam-packed outside linebackers room, and all of them are on massive contracts. Most recently, it was Nick Herbig who was offered a massive four-year $100 million deal. With T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith also on expensive contracts, rumors have it that someone might be on their way out of Pittsburgh.

With blockbuster trades happening around the league, there’s speculation that Watt may be in line to get traded. As the trade chatter around the veteran pass rusher peaked, NFL insider Ray Fittipaldo confirmed that the franchise may not be willing to venture in that direction.

“The Steelers do not typically go down that road at all. I mean, they have cut guys before with years left on the contract,” said Ray Fittipaldo, Steelers Depot on X. “They’ve said, ‘Okay, you’re past your prime, and we’re gonna move on.’ But like to go down that road of trading a star like that, it just doesn’t happen. I still think it’s important for T.J. to end here, although what transpired here in the last 24 hours does get me thinking. But yeah, I still think they’re super committed to T.J., and they’re kinda like unicorns right now.”

While Watt’s $123 million extension makes it tough on the cap space, what he brings to the roster is undeniably important. Since the Steelers picked him in 2017, he became a leader on the defense. From winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 to eight consecutive Pro Bowl selections and six All-Pro selections, there isn’t a checkbox that he hasn’t ticked.

After nine seasons in Pittsburgh, he has started 135 games, recorded 517 tackles (136 tackles for loss), 115 sacks, 244 quarterback hits, 57 pass deflections, and 36 forced fumbles. Before Myles Garrett broke the record for the highest sacks in a single season, Watt jointly held the record with Michael Strahan with 22.5 sacks.

One of the biggest concerns about him is his injury record. In the last five years, he has sustained multiple injuries. Last season, he suffered a partially collapsed lung (pneumothorax) following a dry needling treatment at the team facility. He missed a few weeks of game time but returned before the playoffs.

In 2023, he suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. As for 2022, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, causing him to sit on the sidelines for seven weeks.

Age is also a big factor here. The 31-year-old linebacker is the oldest in the LB room. And the Steelers are a franchise well known for trading veteran players. The Steelers traded Super Bowl XLIII MVP Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets for a fifth-round pick, despite him being a star for the franchise.

In 2025, when the team crashed out of the playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens, Watt was asked a question about his contract. Although the team offered him a lucrative deal later, his words in that moment secured his place in the hearts of Pittsburgh fans.

“I want to be a Pittsburgh Steeler,” said Watt. “I don’t want to leave this place. I want to be part of the solution. I’ve put so much into it here. I want to help Cam Heyward get to where we need to get. I want to be a part of the solution. I don’t want to leave this place. I love the people here. And that goes beyond just the coaches. It’s the fan base. It’s the people, the community. And we owe it to them to get it right. And I want to be part of the solution, not leave here and go somewhere else.”

His words were powerful, and although the team failed to make it past the Wildcard round in 2026 as well, he will remain a part of the team. The veteran will be under head coach Mike McCarthy’s system, as he has been actively taking part in the mandatory three-day minicamp. The NFL insider has declared Watt’s situation, but another linebacker might be on his way out.

Is Alex Highsmith headed out following Nick Herbig’s contract extension?

Besides T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig are the other two big names in the linebackers room. While the team almost confirmed Watt won’t be leaving, they cannot say the same for Highsmith. The situation seems quite tricky, especially after the Steelers offered Nick Herbig a $100 million contract on Tuesday. The following day, Highsmith missed the mandatory minicamp, giving rise to rumors about a potential move.

“A league source confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith is not at practice on Wednesday, the second day of a mandatory three-day minicamp,” reported Ray Fittipaldo on X.

T.J. Watt revealed on Wednesday that Highsmith attended the minicamp but received an excused absence due to illness. While this shifts the momentum a bit, it still does not overlook the fact that the Alex Highsmith trade is a possibility. With a bloated LB room, if McCarthy decides to give Herbig more snaps, Highsmith could be leaving the Steelers.

In 2023, they offered him a $68 million contract that runs until the end of the 2027 season. Comparing Highsmith’s stats to Herbig’s stats, the former is way ahead of the 24-year-old. Last season, he also recorded more sacks (9.5) than Herbig.

Currently, the 28-year-old LB carries a cap hit of $20 million. If the Steelers were to trade him, they could save approximately $14.5 million. That is a huge number for them, especially with the current cap space situation on their roster.

Getting Highsmith would be beneficial for any team. In 90 games (79 starts), he made 337 tackles (64 tackles for loss), 91 quarterback hits, 45 sacks, 10 pass deflections, and a touchdown. These are great numbers for an LB, and if the Steelers look to trade, there could be some contending teams that will be suitors for him.

For now, the franchise has not made a decision. History does suggest that the team moves on from veterans. However, with a new coach at the helm, he will be looking for stability. The Steelers’ defense has always been their talking point, and if they want to continue keeping it that way, they could use a player like Highsmith. But if a good offer comes in for him, the team could cash in, as it would save them a lot of money on Highsmith’s contract.