Steelers: What a sensible Alex Highsmith extension would look like
The Pittsburgh Steelers broke precedent when they offered T.J. Watt the contract he signed in 2021. Watt received $80 million in total guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus, and guaranteed base salaries beyond the first year of the extension. One of those years happens to be 2023. Watt will make exactly $20 million […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers broke precedent when they offered T.J. Watt the contract he signed in 2021. Watt received $80 million in total guaranteed money in the form of a signing bonus, and guaranteed base salaries beyond the first year of the extension.
One of those years happens to be 2023. Watt will make exactly $20 million in fully guaranteed cash this season.
Watt has clearly been worth the investment, and the Steelers will soon decide if his teammate on the opposite edge, Alex Highsmith, is worth a large chunk of change as well.
Pro Football Focus' contract expert Brad Spielberger projects Highsmith to sign a four years, $65 million extension featuring $35 million total guaranteed. The average annual value of $16.25 million would rank 13th in the NFL among edge defenders, and the guaranteed total would rank 12th among veterans at the position.
The deal is definitely not insignificant, but it is reflective of Highsmith as a player. Spielberger notes that the fourth-year pass rusher's production is largely notable when Watt is on the field compared to when the two-time Defensive Player of the Year is not.
"In 10 games with Watt in the lineup, Highsmith tallied 11 sacks and earned a 76.0 pass-rush grade with a 12.7% pass-rush win rate. In seven games without Watt, Highsmith had 3.5 sacks and earned a 58.8 pass-rush grade with an 8.9% pass-rush win rate. For the full season, Highsmith’s 11.0% pass-rush win rate ranked 62nd out of 79 edge defenders with at least 250 pass-rush snaps." – PFF's Brad Spielberger
Salary cap space is not an issue when it comes to signing Highsmith. The Steelers are projected to have well over $100 million in space in 2025, when a Highsmith extension would likely first feature a sizable cap hit. The Steelers will have the benefit of Kenny Pickett balling on a rookie contract for at least three more years.
It ultimately comes down to if Pittsburgh can secure a long-term deal with Highsmith that is well below the market value for a top edge rusher. The soon-to-be 26-year old will always be second fiddle to Watt in his prime, but there's not too much risk in paying both at the same time. They form one of the best 1-2 pass-rushing duos in the league.
But as our own Rob Gregson points out, any contract that exceeds the projection Spielberger laid out would be venturing towards inevitable regret. The Steelers should be mindful to accept Highsmith for who he is, and not get too lenient at the negotiating table.
