The Steelers will always have a formidable pass-rush as long as T.J. Watt is healthy and on the field, but they've lost some of their other pressure components.
Right OLB Alex Highsmith is questionable for week-7 has missed the last 3 games with an ankle injury, and has only one sack this year. His back-up, Nick Herbig is out again this week with a hamstring injury.
The team also has three other Linebackers who are out of action for a while and have lost DE DeMarvin Leal to IR with a neck injury. Leal had played as an OLB recently due to the wrath of injuries at that position.
All of these injuries leave the team with the lack of a true pass-rush threat opposite Watt. Certainly Haason Reddick would cure that issue.
Reddick made the Pro Bowl each of the last two seasons with the Eagles before being traded to the Jets in the off-season. He had 16 sacks in 2022 and 11 in 2023.
He has a base salary of $14,250,000 this year and is looking for a new contract.
The Steelers currently have a cap space of $10,691,838, so a new deal would be the only way they could get him onto the roster.
Any deal would also require the Steelers to send compensation to the Jets for the rights to Reddick. Currently the Jets owe the Eagles a 3rd-round pick next year for acquiring Reddick. That pick will change to a 2nd-round pick if the Jets trade him to a team in the NFC. That stipulation bodes well for teams in the AFC who'd be interested in acquiring his services.
Certainly the Steelers have to be looking into what the Jets would want for the disgruntled OLB. Whether they would be willing to part with any draft capitol and also find a way to fit the 30-year old edge rusher under their cap is the question.
If a deal was made to get Reddick on their defense and attacking opposing QB's opposite T.J. Watt it would make an already good defense a whole lot better.
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