Steely McBeam
Well-known member
- Mar 20, 2019
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USA TODAY Sports
When Bud Dupree went down with a torn ACL late last year, then-rookie Alex Highsmith took over as a starting outside linebacker for Pittsburgh.
Now that Dupree has signed with Tennessee as a free agent, the role is Highsmith’s to lose entering 2021.
Head coach Mike Tomlin has said it’s reasonable to expect significant improvement in Highsmith from his first to second season as a pro. The Steelers’ best edge rusher, T.J. Watt, said Tuesday that he’s looking forward to working with Highsmith in the coming season.
“The last five or six games that we had together last year gave us a really good look at how we jell together and the things that we can improve on collectively,” Watt said during his press conference. “And that starts with camp here and getting the communication between him and I and the whole front five. And I’m excited to get to work with these guys again.”
Watt later added that Highsmith already has a strong repertoire of pass-rush moves.
“He’s coming off his rookie year — he can spin, he can do his ghost move. He’s developing more power in his game. I think that’s a real high positive,” Watt said. “I also think he handles the run well. It’s just a matter of being more consistent for the both of us. And I think that’s the biggest challenge of being an NFL football player, is trying to be consistent week in and week out.”
Highsmith recorded a pair of sacks, five tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, and an interception as a rookie last year.