A strong pass rush has been synonymous with the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout their storied history, and the same will hold true as it pertains to the team’s crop of edge rushers heading into the 2025 season.
As has been the case for the better part of the decade, T.J. Watt is expected to headline the position group for Pittsburgh. With that said, however, his future with the organization is up in the air at the moment.
The 30-year-old superstar is entering the final year of a four-year, $112 million contract that he signed back in September 2021, which made him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL at the time. Watt’s been passed over in that regard on several occasions, but he may reclaim the throne in the near future.
Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns reset the market back in March with a new contract worth $40 million a year, the largest figure for any non-quarterback in league history. While Watt’s goal is likely to surpass that number, there’s been little reported traction in negotiations between the two sides thus far, and it’s anyone’s guess as to when the situation ultimately resolves itself.
The Steelers traded another one of their stars who was set to play on an expiring contract in wide receiver George Pickens, who landed with the Dallas Cowboys last week, but Watt’s a higher-profile player who simply means more to the organization both on and off the field.
For that reason, it’s hard to imagine he’ll suit up for another team in 2025 or beyond.
Watt, who has seven Pro Bowls and six All-Pro nods to his name, finished fourth in AP Defensive Player of the Year voting this past season after leading the league with six forced fumbles to go alongside 11.5 sacks.
Though his production, at least from the perspective of quarterback takedowns, took a step back, Watt remains one of the league’s most feared pass rushers. The Steelers’ defense goes as he does, and that should remain the case during this upcoming campaign.
Next in line are Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig, who were both productive in 2024 despite missing considerable time due to injury.
In Highsmith’s case, he missed Weeks 4 through 6 with a groin injury and Weeks 11 through 13 with an ankle injury. He still managed to put up six sacks while logging 54 pressures per Pro Football Focus, and Pittsburgh has him under contract for the next three seasons as a high-end No. 2 rusher who could eventually become a No. 1 off the edge.
Herbig, who finished with three sacks as a rookie in 2023, closed out this past season with 5.5 sacks and a whopping four forced fumbles in 13 games after missing Weeks 6 through 10 with a hamstring injury.
He’s still just 23-years-old, and he should continue to see his role expand while he continues to develop within the Steelers’ system.
Pittsburgh boosted its depth at the position by using a fourth-round pick on Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer this year, who helped the Buckeyes win their first national title in a decade back in January while logging nine sacks and three forced fumbles.
He should see the field with regularity rather early on due to his stellar run defense and ability to win with power, though his lack of explosiveness and overall athleticism may limit his ceiling. Still, it wouldn’t be wise to discount a high-motor player like Sawyer.
As a bigger outside linebacker who has become a valuable chess piece when healthy, DeMarvin Leal is worth mentioning within this discussion as well.
The 2022 third-round pick went down for the year in Week 5 with a neck injury and thus only posted four tackles with no sacks, but he raises the floor of the unit and has the capacity to make an impact in the last season of his rookie contract.
The Steelers boast a stable of edge rushers that’s simultaneously top-heavy and deep. Assuming Watt sticks around, the unit will give the team a huge advantage over a majority of opposing offenses this forthcoming season.
