Steelers sign pass rusher Alex Highsmith to five-year contract extension
The Pittsburgh Steelers are notorious for getting the "dirty laundry " out of the way before the start of camp. Knowing how difficult it can be to chase two rabbits at once, the aim is for their players to be fully focused on the field, not the financials off of it. Well that has been […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are notorious for getting the "dirty laundry " out of the way before the start of camp.
Knowing how difficult it can be to chase two rabbits at once, the aim is for their players to be fully focused on the field, not the financials off of it.
Well that has been proven right once again, with NFL Media's Ian Rapoport first reporting the mega-deal that Pittsburgh and Alex Highsmith just agreed to:
Highsmith strikes gold after three seasons with the team, of which the first two only saw him produce eight sacks total, before his massive jump in 2022. But Highsmith will now be paid to be one of the best edge rushers in the league, something he has to prove he can be consistently.
Highsmith's deal will net him nearly $28 million in guarantees, along with $38 million over the first two years of the deal, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Highsmith's deal will average out to around $17 million per year in AAV (average annual value) and positions him 13th overall amongst pass rushers in total value. That sandwiches him in between Tampa's Shaq Barrett and Miami's Emmanuel Ogbah.
In my opinion, that's the proper company for Highsmith. He has vastly overachieved his draft positioning, developing both physically and technically, and proving capable at the point of attack.
But the truth is, most of Highsmith's production occurred when T.J. Watt was on the field, as only 3.5 of his 14.5 sacks were recorded during the seven-game stretch that Watt missed with his pec injury last season.
I don't say that to slight Highsmith, but rather to display the fact that having an elite counterpart makes life easier at the edge rush position, and has to be contextualized when counting stats or watching film, but especially when discussing proper value for a player.
But that's okay because Watt is under contract for the next three seasons and Highsmith is slated to be only 26 once the season starts. That means this duo will be wreaking havoc for years to come, putting smiles on the faces of Steelers fans, and frowns on the faces of opposing quarterbacks.
Steelers All-Pro continues to be overshadowed by AFC North foe
At some point this has to stop
Featured image via: © Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
