The Pittsburgh Steelers have been very active in free agency this offseason. But there might still be one big move the team needs to make before the start of the season. That is getting a contract extension done for outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.
Highsmith is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and coming off his best season in the NFL. A season where Highsmith took advantage of having the best pass rusher on the other side of him and got 14.5 sacks in 16 games.
How much will it cost to the Steelers to re-sign Highsmith? According to Spotrac, a deal for Highsmith would be a new contract of 4 years and $55,636,188. This works out to $13.9 million per year which would make him the 12th highest-paid outside linebacker in the NFL.
If you think Highsmith has another big season in him, this contract is a bargain. But if you believe Highsmith will come back down and have a 9-10 sack year, this feels like too much money. General manager Omar Khan has been aggressive all offseason so don’t be shocked if he wraps a contract up for Highsmith very soon.
