Herbig or Highsmith

If Herbig continues to perform like he has in the preseason, he'll be outplaying Highsmith. Do we give Herbig more playing time than Highsmith or 50/50? It's nice problem to have but Herbig is a monster out there. Wonder if Highsmith is feeling the heat? Would be hard to keep Herbig on the bench.

 

No. That's just silly. Highsmith is a stud. He has proven it in real games. Herbig is going to be on the bench most of the time. He isn't even going to get all of the backup outside linebacker reps with Golden there.

 

I wouldn't anoint a Rookie great after Preseason. Wasn't to long ago we were calling Claypool AirCanada.
And plus they're paying Highsmith big money, he better be on that field more than 50% of the time.

 

Commented on this days ago.

 

When Melvin Ingram was here, he ended us leaving because he didn't start. He bitched about playing time, but he played 62% of the snaps. I could see Herbig working his way into a role like that. They have been using Herbig on both sides and he has been impactful whenever he is in the game. I'm not saying it will happen immediately, but he is going to see the field. It will give him valuable experience and keep Watt and Highsmith fresh. Mix in a little Golden and have 4 quality players at the OLB position.

https://www.nfl.com/news/steelers-t...Ingram, 32, was in his,nine tackles, one sack).

 

Hmm...


Don't think it is feasible to give a Rookie more playing time with a player who is fresh off of a new contract with the team; a pretty sizable one at that. I do agree (and have since he was drafted) that Herbig is a natural 3-4 OLB. Once the team acquired Markus Golden, that should have been confirmation what the team thought of him.


Overall?! Nick Herbig will no doubt be a major contribution. However, Alex Highsmith is still the Robin that the Steelers need to Batman in T.J. Watt.

 

Problem is they are all edge rushers and there are only two edges. Three dogs, two bones…or something like that. I suppose they could draw up something gimmicky with stacked sets on one end or the other and turn them loose. Can you imagine seeing TJ and Nick both lined up on the edge?

 

Markus Golden is signed for only this year. True that Herbig needs to see playing time. He has excelled above imagination. Hopefully he gets a hat on game day playing special teams and a few bend around the corner smashers when Watt needs a blow.

 

Did you miss were Highsmith had 14.5 sacks and lead the NFL in forced fumbles last season??

Herbig is a gonna see the field but it it will be to gives breathers to the both of them.
10-15 snaps a game.

I like to see a time were all 3 get on the field to rush on a play that be cool.

 

He’s our 3rd edge rusher and what an amazingly fortunate 3rd guy he is for us fans of this team.

Him coming in fresh to give one of the starters a breather might be like a starter talent is ALWAYS on the field.

The kid has moxie, a motor and said himself he was “born to be a Steeler”!!!

I want 53 of him every year!!!

 

You forgot the green font .

 

They played three OLBs sometimes when Dupree was on the team, that was when Highsmith was the #3 OLB, we will probably see it again this season.

 

The better way to say this is, Herbig would be a starter on a lot of teams. However being behind a beast of Highsmith and watt, will leave Herbig being rotational for a couple years. in a few years we will see where we are at to this discussion.

 

It doesn't have to be that. They can also put one of them in the middle. Watt and Highsmith have both done it in the past. They had some schemes that got Dupree, Watt, and Highsmith on the field together when Highsmith was a rookie. I think they did it some with those two and Ingram. They only reason we didn't see it last year was that none of the other edge rushers was good enough to make it worthwhile. They have some two-four nickel stuff with the five linebackers moving all over the place. That could create some serious assignment problems for offensive lines and create some one-on-one matchups for those pass rushers.

The one thing that may cut down on how much we see such things is the play of Holcomb, Roberts, and Alexander. Another advantage of the three outside linebackers on the field together was it covered for the team's crappy inside linebacker play. That may not be as much of an issue now.

 

Let's hope Herbig doesn't pull a Vrabel and go to the Patriots when his contract is up.

 

He said he was BORN TO BE A STEELER!

I want every player to believe that. He seems like a very hungry dog.

 

He is four years away from free agency. Watt could be done by then.

 

With that said....I believe this is the 1st time in awhile I'm happy about the depth at that position, and excited to see what they do in real time while giving breathers to the starters.

 

Herbig is a rookie. He is going to hit the endurance wall at some point during the season.
Instead of wearing him down more by starting him over a 14.5 sack OLB, the Steelers should manage Herbig's time so he has his second wind when playoffs start.

 

If this was directed at my post above yours, I was only giving the example of what workload Ingram got coming off the bench to play in 62% of the defensive snaps. I never said that Herbig is going to immediately play 62% of the snaps. I said that I can see him working himself into that role eventually to be the first guy off the bench and getting significant snaps. I didn't mean as a rookie that he is going to get that many snaps at OLB. I know Watt is going to be on the field a lot and so is Highsmith, who is now an established star in his own right. Herbig has shown he can play both sides very well and will be able to get snaps as Watt and Highsmith take a breather. Golden will get some as well.

I just think that they will find a way to get Herbig on the field on passing downs and may create packages with him in it.

 

Unless He gets hurt...He and Golden will see the field plenty. Anyone that watches the Steelers knows Tomlin likes to give His front 7 lots of breathers, and I do agree with Him on this.

 

My post wasn't directed at you good sir! The OPs point is what I was getting at.