Tim Benz: Alex Highsmith wants '10-12' sacks this year — and he knows what he needs to do to get them

Questioning outside linebacker depth for the Steelers is nothing new. That’s been going on since Melvin Ingram pushed his way out of Pittsburgh at the end of October.

But maybe more of a focus should be on getting increased production from the starters.

Well, at least one of them. I’m not sure how much more could be asked of T.J. Watt after 22.5 sacks and an NFL Defensive Player of the Year season.

But asking more of Alex Highsmith on the other side? Yes. Sure. Absolutely.

After a 2021 campaign that featured six sacks in 851 defensive snaps, Highsmith is the first to say that request is valid.

“I definitely feel I can be more productive sacks-wise. This year hitting double digits is a main goal of mine. At least 10 or 12. Somewhere around there,” Highsmith said after a recent practice. “Refining a lot of my game. Whether that’s pass-rushing or getting more physical in the run game. No matter how much of a jump I make, I feel like I can always get better.”

The “rookie-year-to-second-year jump” is something coach Mike Tomlin always likes to talk about. For Highsmith, it was more of a hop than a leap.

After playing just 43% of the snaps in 2020, that rose to 76% in 2021. With frequent injuries to Watt and Ingram’s mid-season trade, Highsmith shouldered a significant burden on the defense.

But that increased playing time hasn’t yielded the amount of splash plays usually associated with a Steelers 3-4 outside linebacker. Particularly one who should be benefiting from having so much attention frequently paid to stopping Watt on the other side of the field.

Over two years, Highsmith has eight sacks, just one forced fumble, one pass defended, no fumble recoveries and one interception.

Those numbers are somewhat similar to what Bud Dupree produced in his first two years (8.5 sacks, two passes defended, one forced fumble). By the time he left Pittsburgh after the 2020 season, though, Dupree managed 19.5 sacks in his final 27 games as a Steeler, along with six forced fumbles and 24 tackles for loss.

One issue dogging Highsmith right now is an inability to finish plays. By his own admission, Highsmith is winning at the line of scrimmage a lot. But he is rarely polishing off a quarterback with a sack or a strip.

“I looked at my film from last year and there are a bunch of plays where I beat a guy, but I really didn’t finish the rush. That’s what I’ve been working on with T.J.,” Highsmith said. “Just working on those things at the top of the rush. That’s where it matters most. I can beat the guy, but the quarterback can step up and I run around him. It’s about bending the corner more and getting the guy’s hands off me so I can finish that rush.”

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said the Dupree analogy is a good one in terms of Highsmith’s developmental arc.

“Bud was a six or seven sack guy for a while, then he turned a corner,” Austin said Wednesday. “He started finishing the plays, then he (was) a double-digit sack guy. The same could be said for Alex. He has got the potential to do that.”

When asked about Highsmith’s self-imposed goal of 10-12 sacks, Austin agreed that total was attainable. He also agreed with Highsmith’s self-critique of why he had come up short of threatening such a number so far in his career.

“The reason he probably brought that number out is because he left some sacks on the table,” Austin continued. “He’s got to do a better job, in his mind, of finishing and getting a guy on the ground. But he does a good job of rushing, and he does a good job of setting the edge. That’s not an unreasonable goal for him.”

Nor is it unreasonable to wonder if the Steelers will try to find another player like Ingram if one becomes available to push Highsmith as was the case early in 2021 — and maybe spell Watt with some more quality reps as was the case last year before Ingram was dealt to Kansas City.

“You are always looking to strengthen your team,” Austin said. “So if there is somebody out there that can strengthen us, just like we did with Melvin last year, then we will bring him in. Until then, we will work and coach the guys we have and see what happens and go from there.”

In the case of Highsmith, he appears to be hearing the coaching. That’s never been an issue with him. He’s become well regarded among the staff as a bright, studious, sincere hard worker.

Now he just needs the finish to pay it off.

That’s something that took about five years for Dupree to hone. The Steelers are asking Highsmith to do so in Year 3.

More importantly, he’s asking it of himself.