The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to constantly be at the center of trade discussions. And to be fair, the team has made several exchanges over the last two years.
Since March, 2024, Pittsburgh has acquired or sent away each of these players:
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And now, many expect Pittsburgh to move at least one more notable name before the start of the 2026 season.
After signing rising star edge rusher Nick Herbig to a four-year, $100 million extension last week, speculation on a move involving either T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith has been rampant. And while Ian Rapoport says he doesn’t foresee a trade involving either player this season, that hasn’t stopped the discussion.
In a recent edition of Pro Football Talk, Chris Simms of NBC Sports named three teams that he believes should be trying to acquire Highsmith from the Steelers.
“We know the Eagles are still looking,” Simms said. “We know the Cowboys are still looking. I don’t know about the Bears, but I would think. They’ve been in the conversation a lot. There’s probably another team or two that’s still out there. I think teams are still gauging the Maxx Crosby situation and seeing how that goes. And so, yeah, it wouldn’t be crazy that teams are calling to ask about Alex Highsmith.”
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Highsmith has two years left on his current deal, though his contract is much easier to trade than that of T.J. Watt. His dead cap in 2026 would be $11.2 million, and that number dips down to just $5.6 million in 2027. If the Steelers were to trade an edge rusher before the start of this coming season, Highsmith would be the much easier piece to move.
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