The first four games of the Steelers’ 2025 season have come and gone, and as Pittsburgh exits the Week 5 bye, we’ve analyzed and rated every edge rusher on the roster — grading their overall performance and impact through the early part of the season.
From one of the greatest pass rushers of his generation to a rookie quickly making a name for himself, here are the early grades for the Steelers’ edge rushers.
T.J. Watt
While Watt failed to record a sack in Weeks 1 and 2, he bounced back in a huge way against the New England Patriots in Week 3 and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4 — producing 10 combined tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, three tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and three sacks. Watt had many fans worried after his late-2024 struggles reared their ugly head early this season, but his strong outings over the last two games more than make up for it. Grade: A-
Alex Highsmith
While he suffered an ankle sprain that’s forced him to miss the last two games, Highsmith’s nine combined tackles, three quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, and one sack in Weeks 1 and 2 are exactly what any fan could want opposite Watt. It remains to be seen how Pittsburgh will utilize a healthy Highsmith with Nick Herbig on the rise, but his overall presence was solid through the first two games. Grade: B
Nick Herbig
Herbig’s recent dominance created a great problem for Pittsburgh to have — as his 10 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and eight quarterback hits may force the Steelers to lean on him more than a returning Highsmith. Herbig remains one of the most underrated pass rushers in the NFL and looks to be in line for a breakout Year 3. Grade: A
Jack Sawyer
Sawyer is quietly having a great start to his rookie year — accumulating 14 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit, and one sack in four games. While it’s difficult to stand out in an edge rusher room that contains arguably the most dominant trio in the league, Sawyer has carved out a niche role as a solid run stopper and pass-rush contributor when his number is called. Grade: B-
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This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers’ bye week grades for T.J. Watt and three more EDGE rushers
