Cardinals Should Swing Massive Trade For Steelers Star OLB

The Arizona Cardinals have a weakness, and they should call the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sep 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) in action during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are in desperate need for a boost at outside linebacker.

This isn't exactly breaking news — in fact, outside linebacker was consistently highlighted as one of the top areas of improvement for the Cardinals this offseason before free agency and the draft yielded no change.

Rumors of a potential Josh Sweat trade request haven't settled things, either.

Yet even with Sweat as top dog, the Cardinals are in desperate need of another prominent player to reach the passer.

They should call the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alex Highsmith is Perfect Cardinals Trade Target

Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) applies pressure to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Steelers have a strong trio of outside linebackers in T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig. With Herbig recently inking a nice extension and Watt's trade price likely astromomical, perhaps Highsmith can be a nice middle ground of the two.

Highsmith, 28 years old, has two years on his deal with cap hits of $20.1 and $21.1 million. After staying mostly healthy at the start of his career, he's missed ten games the last two seasons but has still amassed 15.5 sacks during that stretch with a career high of 14.5 in 2022.

He's shown a clear ability to reach the passer, and that's something the Cardinals' room outside of Sweat's 12.5 sacks last season just wasn't able to do. The likes of Jordan Burch, Baron Browning, Zaven Collins and BJ Ojulari had just 5.5 sacks combined in 2025.

Highsmith makes plenty of sense as a trade candidate, though there's two problems: competition and price.

The Cardinals aren't the only team looking to add help, especially at a premium position such as pass rusher.

Take for example their division rival San Francisco 49ers, who also may be in the mix.

49ers insider Grant Cohn believes a second-round pick is the asking price from Pittsburgh.

“From what I’m hearing, they want a second-rounder for him,” he said on his YouTube channel (h/t Steelers Now).

Is that something the Cardinals would be willing to do? That might be just a tad high for a player who is nearing 30, and Arizona obviously didn't feel pressed in the last few months to add talent to the room.

Yet the Cardinals will eventually need to add somebody to that room who can raise its ceiling in terms of reaching the passer. Highsmith would easily do that, with some years left in the tank, and wouldn't break the bank while doing so.