Highsmith and the Steelers agreed Wednesday to restructure his contract and create roughly $7 million in cap space, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Highsmith is likely converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus, with Rapaport calling the move a "simple" restructure. The 2020 third-round pick notched a solid 7.0 sacks across 17 regular-season appearances in 2023, a far cry from his career-high 14.5 sacks in 2022, but he remains an integral part of Pittsburgh's defense for the foreseeable future.
Heavy on Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers news & information.
Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC North
(10-7, 3rd place)
Top Stories from Heavy on Steelers
Latest Steelers News Alerts
More from Heavy on Steelers
More from Heavy on Steelers
Loading more stories
Steelers schedule 2023
Steelers team stats 2023
-
passing yards
2070rushing yards
1035receiving yards
1140tackles
68interceptions
2Passing
name GP CMP ATT CMP% YDS YDS/G TD INT SACK SYL RTG C. Heyward,TE17010.0%00.0000039.6M. Trubisky,QB56710762.6%632126.44574271.9M. Rudolph,QB4557474.3%719179.830643118.0K. Pickett,QB1220132462.0%2,070172.5642317381.4Rushing
name GP CAR YDS AVG LNG YDS/G TD FUM LST FD G. Pickens,WR173186.0161.10312N. Harris,RB172551,0354.12560.9826651C. Heyward,TE17100.000.00000M. Trubisky,QB516543.41510.82136J. Warren,RB171497845.37446.1444536C. Austin III,WR1711575.2123.41224M. Rudolph,QB41080.872.00394K. Pickett,QB1242541.3114.512912Receiving
name GP REC TGTS YDS AVG TD LNG YDS/G YAC FD G. Pickens,WR17631061,1401858667.1388.042P. Freiermuth,TE1232473081022925.7145.017A. Robinson II,WR173449280803116.568.09D. Washington,TE177106190123.650.04D. Johnson,WR1351877171457155.2261.037A. McFarland Jr.,RB322116063.77.01N. Harris,RB172938170603210.0175.09G. Olszewski,WR21100000.01.00C. Heyward,TE17233416770139.894.08J. Warren,RB176174370603021.8486.019C. Austin III,WR1717301801117210.673.07M. Boykin,WR1734176061.02.00R. Williams,TE130200000.00.00Defense
TacklesSacksInterceptionsFumblesname GP SOLO AST TOTAL SACK SCKYDS TFL PD INT TD FF FR FTD E. Roberts, LB16 68 33 101 2.5 19.5 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 T. Watt, LB17 48 20 68 19 122 19 8 1 0 0 3 0 M. Fitzpatrick, SAF10 43 21 64 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 D. Kazee, SAF14 46 15 61 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 2 0 A. Highsmith, LB17 34 23 57 7 44.5 8 3 2 0 0 0 0 C. Holcomb, LB8 31 23 54 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 1 0 K. Neal, SAF9 33 17 50 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 L. Ogunjobi, DT17 21 22 43 3 16 3 2 0 0 0 2 0 P. Peterson, CB17 34 8 42 0 0 0 11 2 0 0 0 0 J. Porter Jr., CB17 32 10 42 0 0 1 10 1 0 0 0 0 K. Alexander, LB9 32 9 41 1 3 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 L. Wallace, CB16 32 6 38 0 0 0 11 2 0 0 0 0 K. Benton, DL17 16 20 36 1 9 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 M. Walker, LB8 21 12 33 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 C. Heyward, DT11 25 8 33 2 14 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 E. Rowe, SAF3 22 7 29 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 M. Robinson, LB17 19 6 25 1 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Adams, DT13 11 13 24 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 N. Herbig, LB17 15 7 22 3 24 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 T. Thompson, DB6 18 3 21 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 M. Golden, LB16 14 6 20 4 25 6 1 0 0 0 1 0 C. Sullivan, CB17 12 8 20 0 0 1 6 1 0 0 0 0 M. Jack, LB3 12 5 17 1 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 I. Loudermilk, DT16 8 8 16 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 A. Watts, DT15 6 9 15 0.5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Leal, DE12 10 5 15 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 M. Killebrew, DB17 10 3 13 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 E. Riley, SAF13 5 5 10 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Martinez, LB1 2 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Rush, CB3 2 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 J. Pierre, CB16 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 G. Pickens, WR17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P. Freiermuth, TE12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Kuntz, LS17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A. Robinson II, WR17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Johnson, WR13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Cole, C17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Heyward, TE17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Daniels, OL15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T. Carpenter, LB3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Austin III, WR17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 G. Igwebuike, RB10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Boykin, WR17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 B. Jones, T17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 R. Williams, TE13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -
passing yards
229rushing yards
38receiving yards
76tackles
6Passing
name GP CMP ATT CMP% YDS YDS/G TD INT SACK SYL RTG M. Rudolph,QB1223956.4%229229.02111180.0Rushing
name GP CAR YDS AVG LNG YDS/G TD FUM LST FD G. Pickens,WR111515.01515.00101N. Harris,RB112373.11137.00011J. Warren,RB18384.81238.00002M. Rudolph,QB12168.01016.00002Receiving
name GP REC TGTS YDS AVG TD LNG YDS/G YAC FD G. Pickens,WR1511501001950.02.03P. Freiermuth,TE158761503376.034.03A. Robinson II,WR12312601312.013.01D. Washington,TE10100000.00.00D. Johnson,WR147481211948.018.04N. Harris,RB12315801015.010.01C. Heyward,TE11155055.00.00J. Warren,RB12216801616.021.01C. Austin III,WR11277177.01.01Defense
TacklesSacksInterceptionsFumblesname GP SOLO AST TOTAL SACK SCKYDS TFL PD INT TD FF FR FTD M. Fitzpatrick, SAF1 5 5 10 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 E. Rowe, SAF1 6 2 8 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 C. Heyward, DT1 4 2 6 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Robinson, LB1 3 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L. Ogunjobi, DT1 2 3 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 K. Benton, DL1 1 4 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 E. Roberts, LB1 3 2 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 M. Jack, LB1 2 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 P. Peterson, CB1 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A. Highsmith, LB1 2 1 3 1 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Golden, LB1 2 1 3 1 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Walker, LB1 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 D. Kazee, SAF1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 J. Porter Jr., CB1 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A. Watts, DT1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 L. Wallace, CB1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 M. Adams, DT1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N. Herbig, LB1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 C. Sullivan, CB1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I. Loudermilk, DT1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Steelers Depth Chart
Steelers Injury Report
Highsmith and the Steelers agreed Wednesday to restructure his contract and create roughly $7 million in cap space, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Highsmith is likely converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus, with Rapaport calling the move a "simple" restructure. The 2020 third-round pick notched a solid 7.0 sacks across 17 regular-season appearances in 2023, a far cry from his career-high 14.5 sacks in 2022, but he remains an integral part of Pittsburgh's defense for the foreseeable future.
The Steelers aren't expected to pick up the fifth-year option on Fields' rookie contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. It perhaps goes without saying, given that Fields is coming in as the second QB on the depth chart and would be guaranteed around $25.66 million in 2025 if the Steelers were to pick up his option before the May 2 deadline. While the team may have interest in keeping him around beyond the upcoming season, it won't be at that price before he's ever put on a Steelers uniform. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that fellow offseason acquisition Russell Wilson will enter offseason workouts in "pole position" at quarterback, with Fields then getting a chance to compete at some point in the future, according to coach Mike Tomlin. Fields is on track to be a free agent next spring, and his playing time between now and then seems largely dependent on Wilson struggling.
Holcomb (knee) still doesn't have a timeline for when he may be able to return to the field, Adam Borst of SteelersNow.com reports. Holcomb suffered a significant knee injury Week 9 against the Titans that required season-ending surgery to repair. Since then, there has been speculation that the damage done was enough to keep the North Carolina product on the sidelines permanently, bringing an early end to his career. However, according to GM Omar Khan, Holcolmb is "working extremely hard to get back. I don't really have much to add on a timeline." Khan further stated, "It was a major injury, but he is working hard and I'm optimistic about all the effort he's going to put into getting back on the field."
The Steelers signed Wright on Wednesday. Wright, who has had previous stints with the Steelers since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019, has also spent time with the Falcons, Panthers, Lions, Patriots and 49ers. Now that the well-traveled 28-year-old kicker is back with Pittsburgh, he'll provide the team with depth behind top option Chris Boswell.
Pruitt signed with Pittsburgh on Thursday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Pruitt has consistently worked as a backup tight end, primarily as a blocker. He'll take on a similar role with the Steelers and should pair well with Darnell Washington to aid the run game. Pruitt is reunited with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith after also playing under him in Tennessee and Atlanta.
Freiermuth said Wednesday on the Around the 412 Podcast that he wants to stay in Pittsburgh for the rest of his career, per Chris Ward of Steelers Now. The tight end is in a contract year, following a down 2023 season in which a hamstring injury cost him five games and may have limited his playing time in a few others. He caught nine passes for 120 yards in a Week 12 win over the Bengals and had five catches for 76 yards in a playoff loss to Buffalo, but otherwise Freiermuth had just 23 receptions for 188 yards and two TDs in 11 appearances. He was far more active in the passing game as a rookie (60-497-7) and again in 2022 (63-732-2), and he could be Option B behind WR George Pickens in 2024 after the Steelers hired OC Arthur Smith and traded WR Diontae Johnson to the Panthers. While Smith figures to prioritize the running game, his affinity for multi-TE formations could put Freiermuth in a near-every-down role for the first time (he averaged 42.7 snaps per game in 2021, 46.4 in 2022 and 39.5 in 2023).
The Steelers and Patterson agreed to terms on a two-year, $6 million contract Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. With this move to Pittsburgh, Patterson reunites with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, with whom he worked under the past three seasons in Atlanta. Patterson reeled off 1,313 rushing yards, 670 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns in 29 games between 2021 and 2022, but he fell off almost completely working behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier in the most recent campaign (219 yards from scrimmage, one TD in 14 contests). Upon joining the Steelers, Patterson will be in a similar spot as the No. 3 RB behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, but the 33-year-old's ability as a kick returner likely will be where he makes his mark with his new squad.
Lowry (pectoral) signed a contract with the Steelers on Monday, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports. Lowry played nine games for the Vikings last season after spending the first seven years of his career with the Packers. The Northwestern product had 14 tackles last season while not recording a sack for the first time since 2019.