‘Cool Things Cooking Up’: Once Again, The Steelers Plan To Move TJ Watt Around
TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith have been top-of-the-line move rusher duos within the NFL for years. However, they felt much less impactful in 2025. Perhaps that is as a result of the Pittsburgh Steelers do not move them around the defense very much. That permits groups to key in and use schematics to restrict them. Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden not too long ago requested Highsmith about that, and the sting rusher expressed confidence that he and Watt will transfer round extra in 2026.
“Obviously, I’m more comfortable on the right, TJ’s [Watt] more comfortable on the left,” Highsmith mentioned on Gruden’s YouTube channel. “But I feel we did a superb job this 12 months. We had a 3 outdoors backer package deal in with Nick [Herbig] as properly. I do know we’ll try to work that in additional as a result of groups are sport planning, particularly if we keep in the identical spot.
“But I think we’re gonna have some cool things cooking up, whether we switch sides, there were a few plays where I was lined up inside this year. We’ve got a lot of versatility, but you’re right, teams do game plan with us being in the same spot… We’ve gotta practice it more, too. If we practice it, we’ll be more comfortable with it, instead of just going out there in the game and doing it. I’m excited to work on that.”
The Steelers have talked about shifting Watt and Highsmith round for years. It seems like this dialog occurs each offseason. However, 2025 felt just like the 12 months when the workforce was lastly going to make use of its move rushers extra creatively
However, that did not occur. Watt and Highsmith’s alignment was basically the same because it had all the time been. While the Steelers’ began utilizing a package deal that acquired Watt, Herbig and Highsmith on the sphere on the identical time, that is not an sufficient substitute for shifting them round.
That was very true as a result of all three of these gamers handled accidents in 2025. That made their three-outside-linebacker package deal much less efficient.
Highsmith had a strong 12 months, posting 9.5 sacks in 13 video games. However, Watt’s manufacturing took a noticeable decline. While he was nonetheless superb, he solely had seven sacks in 14 video games. It was clear that groups have been scheming him out of video games and minimizing their affect.
Moving Watt and Highsmith round may very well be an answer to that downside. Watt has expressed a willingness to maneuver across the protection, too, so it is complicated why the Steelers have not finished it extra.
Highsmith believes that it’ll change this 12 months, however the Steelers did this tune and dance earlier than. They can’t just talk in the offseason about shifting gamers round. Actions communicate louder than phrases.
Perhaps issues might be totally different in 2026, although. The Steelers’ teaching employees underwent a serious overhaul this offseason. That consists of Patrick Graham coming in as defensive coordinator. He’s finished extra with much less lately, so perhaps he’ll be capable to squeeze extra out of the Steelers’ proficient defensive gamers. They’ve invested an excessive amount of into that unit for it to wrestle like final 12 months.
