There are few teams in the NFL who understand how the salary cap works better than the Pittsburgh Steelers. General manager Omar Khan has been known as a salary-cap wizard for his entire career, well before he became GM last season. So if you are among those wondering if salary-cap concerns could put outside linebacker Alex Highsmith on the trading block, let me put your mind at ease. Here’s why.
He's an elite player
Make no mistake, Alex Highsmith is already one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and is only getting better. His 14.5 sacks in 2022 were no anomaly and Pittsburgh understands this. The team is going to do everything they can to get him signed to an extension this offseason because they recognize how valuable Highsmith is.
The salary cap is a myth
Pittsburgh is looking at being slightly over the cap at the start of the next offseason and this is enough to prompt concerns. But as we said already, the Steelers manage the cap as well, if not better than any other team in the NFL. If the Steelers want Highsmith, being a few million over the salary cap isn’t going to slow them down.
The Steelers need him more than picks
There’s no doubt the Steelers could get a haul for Highsmith. A top-tier 25-year-old pass rusher is a valuable prospect. But what would the Steelers do with the picks? Could they realistically be in a player they need more, given the current roster? Trading Chase Claypool was smart money as was trading for Minkah Fitzpatrick. But this isn’t the same. This young roster is sound, top to bottom. Keep your strongest positional unit strong.
