Probably more than any other team in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys need to be on the lookout for the best value they can get, where they can get it.
On defense, that means looking for deals at almost every position on the field.
The Cowboys are in this position not only because a series of disastrous moves in terms of contracts over an extended period of time — DaRon Bland comes to mind— but also because they need to marshal resources to pay free agent wide receiver George Pickens.
Letting NFL All-Pro talent and arguably your team’s best player walk out the door for 2 consecutive seasons might be bad for morale.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher Nick Herbig at the top of the list of players the Cowboys should be looking to make trades for this offseason.
“Herbig is the kind of young, cheap edge-rusher who could earn an extension in Dallas,” Ballentine wrote. “He’s stuck behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in the pecking order, but he would be a good fit in the system (defensive coordinator) Christian Parker will try and implement in Dallas.”
Herbig Seems Capable of So Much More
Ballentine hits the nail on the head when he points out Herbig, 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, is essentially stuck playing third wheel behind Watt and Highsmith at edge rusher, and with a new head coach on the way in former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, it’s probably a good time for Herbig to find a new home.
Herbig’s numbers show a player who is likely capable of much more than he’s been asked to do to this point.
Over his first 3 seasons since he was a fourth round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Herbig has 16.0 sacks in 45 games with just 11 starts, including a career-high 7.5 sacks in 15 games with a career-high 6 starts in 2025.
The Steelers find themselves with one established edge rusher too many. The Cowboys find themselves with essentially no established edge rushers.
“Alex Highsmith is going into 2026 with 2 years remaining on his contract extension he signed in 2023,” Steelers Network wrote on its official X account. “Nick Herbig is entering the final year of his rookie deal and could potentially be in line for a nice pay day in the near future. Play Steelers GM. How are you planning for your future at the edge rusher position?”
Cowboys Might Not Want Herbig for One Reason
One big drawback to trading for Herbig for the Cowboys might be his size, as he’s about 2 inches shorter and about 20-30 pounds less than the ideal NFL edge rusher.
The Cowboys already have one undersized edge rusher in 2025 second round pick (No. 44 overall) Donovan Ezeiruaku, 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds. Ezeiruaku showed glimpses of becoming a dominant player in his own right as a rookie with 25 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 safety and 10 QB hits in 10 games with 2 starts.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys and Ezeiruaku, his future in Dallas is a little more clouded after he was arrested for reckless driving in Texas on January 11.
From CBS News Dallas: “Dallas Cowboys defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was arrested over the weekend, Collin County jail records show. Jail records show Ezeiruaku was arrested by the Department of Public Safety for reckless driving on Jan. 11. He was released the same day with a bond of $500 and other unlisted conditions.”
Cowboys Urged to Explore Trade for Underused AFC Edge Rusher