The Dallas Cowboys have kicked off Phase 3 of their offseason program. Training camp will be here before we know it, and while Dallas wants to give its young players a platform to prove themselves, some positions flat-out need more proven commodities.
Even with this offseason's upgrades, the EDGE room sticks out like a stain on a white shirt. Signing a vet like Joey Bosa would help considerably, but trading for a younger, more complete player in Alex Highsmith makes even more sense, especially in light of the recent developments in Pittsburgh.
Highsmith was absent from Steelers mandatory minicamp immediately after the team handed fellow pass rusher Nick Herbig a four-year, $100 million extension. The 28-year-old came down with an illness, but Allison Koehler of Still Curtain wonders if there's more at play here.
"For now, the Steelers have said Highsmith was sick. That may be the full story," Koehler wrote. "But the timing, the money, and the crowded edge room are going to keep this from feeling like more than a minicamp absence."
This should have the Cowboys' full attention.
The Dallas Cowboys need to keep tabs on the Alex Highsmith situation in Pittsburgh
Maybe Highsmith came down with a nasty bug, and he's back practicing by the end of the week. Or maybe it's contract-related, and this is just the beginning of a prolonged holdout that ends with the former third-round pick requesting a trade out of Pittsburgh.
The Steelers would love to keep all three of Highsmith, Herbig, and T.J. Watt. I would also like to win the lottery tomorrow.
Watt is currently under contract for $41 million per year, and there's no getting out of his deal until 2028. Not that Pittsburgh would consider that, anyway, since Watt's the face of the franchise. And Herbig will be making $25 million per year when his extension kicks in.
Highsmith, meanwhile, makes $17 million, which is now $8 million less than the 24-year-old Herbig. The Steelers already had the most expensive EDGE room before Herbig's payday. They can't afford them all, and Highsmith is clearly the odd man out, even though he was arguably the best player of the trio last season.
Highsmith may be obligated to report to minicamp, but obligations and satisfaction are two very different things. Returning after an illness wouldn't necessarily silence questions about where he stands in the Steelers' long-term plans.
Koehler put it bluntly:
"... Nobody’s reporting that, without question, Highsmith skipped practice because of his contract. But when a productive veteran misses a mandatory minicamp practice right after another player at his position gets paid, it becomes part of a broader discussion."
Highsmith isn't Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby, but few edge defenders impact the game as consistently against both the run and pass, and his experience as an outside linebacker would allow for a seamless transition into Christian Parker's defense.
A rotation featuring Highsmith, Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Malachi Lawrence would go a long way toward alleviating concerns about Dallas' pass-rush depth.
For now, it's just something to monitor. But it's starting to feel like Highsmith isn't long for the Steel City.
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