Big Problem Brewing As Steelers' Nick Herbig Continues To Be A No-Show

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially gotten one of the more dramatic parts of the 2026 offseason out of the way now that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has signed his new one-year contract. That took up space in the headlines for months, but the two sides finally worked out a deal and Rodgers announced his intentions to retire following the 2026 campaign. Now that the quarterback is signed, the organization can focus on getting some deals done with its younger players.

This includes the guys that were selected during the 2023 NFL Draft that are now eligible for contract extensions, and there are four that should be considered candidates for extensions.

General Manager Omar Khan and the rest of the front office did a great job when it came to selecting players in the 2023 NFL Draft. It was Khan's first draft as the front office leader of the franchise, and it went really well. Now it is time to lock those players up for the future. 

The biggest priority is probably cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and he has been seen at Organized Team Activities (OTAs); although, he is not participating as he waits for a new deal. The other players due an extension include Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington, and Keeanu Benton.

Herbig is the most complicated case. He isn't a starter due to how much talent the franchise has at outside linebacker, but he continues to produce and show flashes. This makes his value complicated when it comes to the Steelers extending him, which could make the situation a bit messy. Beat writer Mark Kaboly joined 93.7 The Fan on Monday and shared that he has not seen Herbig at OTAs.

"No I have not personally laid eyes on him." Kaboly said. "In the open portion of practices that we are allowed to report on, he has not been out there. But that’s not unusual. He’s not the only one. It’s voluntary.”

Kaboly made it clear that he has not seen Herbig at OTAs, which could be signs of a hold-in. However, this part of the offseason is completely voluntary, so nothing is official yet. He could be dealing with important personal things, or he could be somewhere training on his own. Either way, he does not need to be in Pittsburgh for OTAs.

Something to keep an eye is the attendance for mandatory minicamp. This runs from June 2nd through June 4th, and all players are required to be there. If Herbig does not show up for that, it is safe to assume that he might be waiting for a new deal. If he is present and just not participating, which is what Porter has been doing, it would be a hold-in. If he doesn't show up at all, it's a hold-out. The latter is much messier.

A hold-in or hold-out from Herbig would be a bit bizarre. He probably shouldn't want to sign with the Steelers as he could get more money elsewhere in free agency. The organization already has a ton of money committed to Alex Highsmith and TJ Watt at outside linebacker, so player the 2026 season out and getting a large contract in free agency during the 2027 offseason might be the best move for the young defender.

Steelers Have Some Very Complicated Decisions To Make With Nick Herbig

The Steelers agreed to a new extension with kicker Chris Boswell, but that kind of deal is easy for a position like kicker. Even Porter's deal can be considered easy, it will just be a lot of money and a large financial commitment between the two sides. 

Herbig's is different due to his playing time and production. The franchise should do everything in its power to keep him around on a long-term deal, including parting ways with one of the elder outside linebackers.

What do you think about Herbig not attending OTAs? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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