Alex Highsmith has been circling round his 2022 objectives, getting into the 12 months with hopes of a double-digit season. He completed the season with 14.5 of them, practically one of many high 5 within the NFL, and it earned him an enormous payday. He signed a four-year extension final week and on Monday morning held a press convention to debate the deal. However his objective was to enhance additional, to not relaxation on his laurels.
“Extra sacks, extra fumbles triggered, simply extra havoc normally,” Highsmith mentioned through the workforce’s YouTube channel of his 2023 objectives. “I am simply enjoying higher element. Coming again to see my movie, there are such a lot of little issues I might have carried out higher. Taking a look at totally different rushes, I might have completed so many extra luggage final 12 months than I had.
Highsmith has been the Steelers’ predominant supply of move rush in 2022, particularly as TJ Watt missed the primary half of the 12 months with {a partially} torn pectoral suffered of their Week 1 win over Cincinnati. Highsmith picked up three sacks in Recreation 1 and had 1.5 two weeks later in opposition to Cleveland. His manufacturing remained regular all year long, ending the 12 months with a 2.5 sack efficiency within the Finals in opposition to the Browns, and his 14.5 sacks ranked sixth within the NFL. He additionally discovered methods to separate the quarterback from the ball with 5 compelled fumbles, tied for the league lead.
As we wrote final week, Highsmith is a feel-good story. As he talked about it through the presser, the fully unknown and true zero-star highschool rookie walked on Charlotte, obtained a scholarship, knocked out his last season, obtained drafted, performed effectively, and obtained paid. Now he has ready himself and his household for the remainder of his life.
If Highsmith may even match final 12 months’s numbers, he’ll be part of Watt as the one two Steelers to have greater than 14.5 sacks in consecutive seasons. It might be harder this season with left tackles not taking him evenly and countering him late in 2022, defending his inside rotation transfer, however Highsmith appears as much as the problem. He defined learn how to flip these pressures into much more sacks.
“There have been instances after I was beating guys and never leaning into the nook effectively sufficient, and the quarterback was stepping up,” he mentioned. “So simply preserve engaged on ending the push.”
The Steelers want to get their move again on observe after seeing their streak of greater than 50 consecutive seasons come to an finish, ending 2022 with simply 40 of them. With a wholesome Watt, Highsmith, Cam Heyward and the remainder of the workforce’s entrance seven, likelihood is good that they’re going to get again to type and be the anchor of the workforce as soon as once more.
