Steelers Sign LB Nick Herbig to Rookie Contract

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially agreed to terms with Nick Herbig on a rookie contract, according to a tweet by the Steelers on Friday. 

The Steelers drafted Herbig with the team’s fourth-round pick (No. 132) out of Wisconsin. The Steelers have a good track record when selecting Wisconsin edge rushers with the last one being the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt. 

While the exact details of Herbig’s contract are not available, Over The Cap estimated that the four-year deal would be worth about $4.5 million with a signing bonus of just over $670,000. 

At Wisconsin, Herbig mainly played at the edge position but the Steelers have more plans for the former Badger. The Steelers stated that Herbig will play on the outside to begin his professional career but has the versatility to slide inside in the future. 

While Herbig is “undersized” for the edge position at 230 pounds, he possesses the raw athletic ability to make up for it which is the reason Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin have spoken glowingly about the 21-year-old. 

Herbig racked up 20 sacks over his final two collegiate seasons while leading the Big Ten conference in sacks last year with 11. To go along with the double-digit sack total, Herbig had 15.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles last season for the Badgers. 

This year, the fourth-round pick will likely play on special teams while being a depth edge rusher behind Watt and Alex Highsmith. This will give Herbig the time to learn the defense and put on some extra muscle. 

Depending on Herbig’s development and the contract situation of Highsmith, Herbig may be in line to be the starter opposite of Watt in 2024. 

Herbig is the brother of newly-acquired Steelers’ offensive guard Nate Herbig. The veteran guard lobbied the Steelers to draft the young linebacker in an interview leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft.