Nick Herbig Makes Surprise Contract Decision With Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers' promising pass rusher is present at mandatory minicamp but did not work during the portion of practice the media could report on.

Nov 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig (51) follows the play against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

With the Pittsburgh Steelers officially beginning mandatory minicamp, one of their stars will be "holding in."

EDGE rusher Nick Herbig, who was not present during the first two weeks of OTAs, has arrived in the South Side and is with the Steelers as they continue working their way through the offseason program in head coach Mike McCarthy's first year at the helm, but he did not work during the portion of practice the media could report on while seeking a new deal entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Steelers linebacker drills. What do you notice? pic.twitter.com/Yasnn3aZwb

— Noah Strackbein (@NoahStrackbein) June 2, 2026

It goes without saying that Herbig's situation is one of the main storylines to watch over the coming months in Pittsburgh.

Why a Herbig Deal Could Be Tough to Figure Out for the Steelers

Herbig is more than deserving of a huge raise. The former fourth-round pick has done nothing but produce since arriving to Pittsburgh in 2023, and he's on an upward trajectory that could theoretically make him a No. 1 option off the edge sooner rather than later.

The 24-year-old logged 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and 47 total pressures (per Pro Football Focus) across 15 games and 610 defensive snaps in 2025.

A potential roadblock with Herbig, though, is his value and potential asking price on an extension.

Herbig has never been a full-time starter for the Steelers, which is a byproduct of sharing a position group with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

The EDGE market has exploded in recent years, and there's no better example than free agency earlier this offseason. The likes of Jaelan Phillips ($120 million), Trey Hendrickson ($112 million) and Odafe Oweh ($96 million) all secured massive contracts over four years, and it's not unreasonable to think Herbig could net his own deal in that range if he has another standout campaign in 2026.

The dilemma for Pittsburgh is whether or not it's willing to pony up and make that commitment to him when it's already paying Watt and Highsmith massive ammounts of money.

Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig (51) reacts as he takes the field against the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The starter conversation is potentially relevant as well considering the organization doesn't know how Herbig will hold up or produce with a larger workload. On the flip side, though, there's not any real reason to think he'll take a step back if his usage increases down the line.

Herbig may also choose to bet on himself and wait his situation out until he reaches free agency next offseason if he doesn't receive any offers he deems suitable from the Steelers over the next few months.

At that point, perhaps Pittsburgh would consider placing the franchise tag on him if negotiations continue to show a lack of progress.

It's a positive for the team that Herbig is in the building and can be integrated into Patrick Graham's defense to an extent, but his contract situation still looms large.

Make sure to bookmark Steelers On SI, and find our podcast All Steelers Talk on YouTube or anywhere you listen!