The Detroit Lions' need at edge rusher feels like it hasn't been addressed capably since Aidan Hutchinson was drafted, as general manager Brad Holmes has continually laments how hard it is to find a second good one.
This offseason it's been more of the same, with the signings of D.J. Wonnum and Payton Turner (aka Marcus Davenport, 2.0) in free agency. Taking an edge rusher with one of their first two picks in the draft should be on the radar, but we'll see what happens there.
Holmes should have his eyes open for any remaining opportunities to add a proven edge rusher, and "financial constraints" are not a viable excuse for ignoring those possibilities at this point in the offseason.
New rumor should have the attention of the Lions and Brad Holmes
In response to a mailbag suggestion the Pittsburgh Steelers should consider trading edge rusher Nick Herbig, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette took the topic about an edge rusher trade a different direction.
"I think the trade would involve someone ahead of him."
"Ahead of" Herbig in the edge rusher pecking order for the Steelers are T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. It's safe to say they aren't going to easily trade Watt, if they'll entertain trading him at all. So that leaves Highsmith as the name the plugged-in Dulac stopped short of actually naming.
Noah Strackbein of Steelers on SI removed any nuance to write how Highsmith is far more likely to be traded than Watt. with a proposed trade cost.
"Chances are, the Steelers could get a second-round pick for Highsmith. He was probably their best edge rusher in 2025 when healthy, and with two years left and only a $20 million and $21 million cap hit the next two years, teams will view him as a cheap option who's a top 10 edge rusher in the NFL."
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Despite missing four games last season, Highsmith had 9.5 sacks with 15 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hits. According to Pro Football Focus, he also had a higher pass rush win rate (15.2 percent) than Watt (12.4 percent). Calling him a "top-10 edge rusher in the NFL" feels aggressive, but PFF has graded him top-12 at the position in each of the last three seasons.
As expected in the defensive system the Steelers have had forever, the 242-pound Highsmith profiles as a 3-4 outside linebacker. So he's doesn't have the kind of "weight in his britches" the Lions' typically favor in their edge rushers.
But a good edge rusher is a good edge rusher. Holmes would do well to pursue the possibility Highsmith is available, then let it out he did so if another team swings the trade at a cost he should have matched or bested.