The Pittsburgh Steelers made a big move this week when they signed the future of their edge rushing group, Nick Herbig, to a massive contract extension that pays him $100m total and averages out at $25 million per year in new money.

There are a lot of questions about what happens with the rest of that room, but it’s very clear that the Herbig signing has been met with praise by the majority of all parties involved, including head coach Mike McCarthy.

Mike McCarthy praises the Nick Herbig signing

“I think the most important thing is, when you look at the business side of this, you pay players that obviously you feel deserve it,” McCarthy said at minicamp this week. “So, you can never have enough good football players, especially at the outside linebacker or the linebacker position. They’re all playmakers. So I’m thrilled to death that we have them all.”

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Herbig was probably the easiest of the five extensions that have been done or will be done in Pittsburgh this offseason. We know the Steelers value the EDGE group as much as any position group. Just look at how much money is invested in T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and now Herbig.

We know that Herbig isn’t going anywhere, and while there has been a lot of conversation about trading T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith, it seems like the Steelers want to keep their trio intact going forward, and the Steelers are already preparing for it.

Mike McCarthy says the Steelers have already started on Nick Herbig’s new role

“You don’t draw up a scheme as the season gets going,” McCarthy added. “These are things we’ve been working on since January. We’re excited to get Nick done. He’s part of some of the newer things we’re doing moving forward.”

The Steelers are banking on their future with names like Herbig and Darnell Washington, and reports are that Keeanu Benton and Joey Porter Jr. will be getting their deals done soon. The results are the only thing left.