Alex Highsmith just signed a five-year, $68 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The overall consensus is that this was a win for both parties. The Steelers are able to keep their star pass rush duo together, and Highsmith gets long-term money. However, it does raise the question, are the Steelers investing too heavily in their defense?
In 2022, the Steelers spent the most money of any team on defensive players. Totaling just under $110 million, the organization allocated 52.7% of their space on defense. While this may seem like a relatively even split, the average NFL team spent around $20 million more on offense in 2022.
The Steelers are currently fourth in defensive spending for the 2023 season. Once the details of the Highsmith contract are all worked out, the Steelers should easily rise to either first or second.
Looking to the future, T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cameron Heyward are all locked into long-term deals. With Highsmith now signed through 2027, the team may struggle with cap flexibility in the long run.
The phrase defense wins championships is simply no longer true. The league is clearly moving in an offensive direction. This is clearly reflected in the way that teams spend, where only seven teams spent more on defense than offense.
In recent years, spending more money on offense has led to winning. The Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs spent $53 million more on offense than defense. The 2021 champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers also heavily favored offensive spending.
While it still is very possible to win with a team led by the defense, it is seeming harder and harder as time passes. Winning at the highest level, especially in the AFC, requires that you beat a slew of elite quarterbacks including Patrick Mahomes. Either your defense has to stop these quarterbacks, or your offense has to keep pace with them.
While all of this data may be concerning to many Steelers fans, they should not be overly worried. The main reason for this large allocation of space toward the defense is that the offense does not require as much money. Kenny Pickett, Najee Harris, George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth are all still on their rookie deals until 2025.
Similar to the legion of boom Seahawks, it is smart to load up on defense while your quarterback is on a rookie contract. Once you have to pay your quarterback, it is much harder to pay surrounding pieces as seen in Seattle. The Eagles also employed this strategy last year, signing players like Haason Reddick and A.J. Brown.
The Steelers will not have to pay out any large contracts on offense until at least 2025. By then, Cameron Heyward’s deal will have expired. In addition, the guaranteed money on the Highsmith contract will be mostly paid off, so he could be released without much consequence. This would most likely be the turning point in which the organization spends much more money on offense.
For the next couple years, expect the Steelers to continue to load up on defense. The team has a great window to compete while Pickett is on his rookie contract. The next two years will be a catalyst for the entire decade of Pittsburgh Steelers football.
Stay tuned for more exciting NFL content, including roster moves, in depth analysis, and more news from around the league.Â
Feature image courtesy of Steelers.com
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