When the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac was asked whether the Pittsburgh Steelers would trade Nick Herbig this offseason, the response pointed in a different direction. A trade is possible, but it would likely involve someone ahead of Herbig on the depth chart. At the moment, that list includes T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. That context is what led Adam Crowley of 93.7 The Fan to float a more aggressive idea.

“I don’t think you’re getting two picks for T.J. Watt based on his age, but his production the last two seasons is almost identical to Maxx Crosby,” Crowley said. “Could you get a first-round pick for him? I think you could. I don’t want one right now. I want a 2027 first-round pick. If you give me a 2027 first-round pick for T.J. Watt, I’d do it.”

The compensation itself is debatable, but the underlying reason for the speculation is more straightforward. Pittsburgh has depth at outside linebacker. The group includes Watt, Herbig, Highsmith, and Jack Sawyer, which naturally creates overlap in both roles and long-term financial planning.

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For a broader context, Watt is currently on a three-year, $123 million extension with $108 million guaranteed. Highsmith is on a four-year, $68 million deal, and Herbig is approaching a contract decision in 2027. Structurally, keeping all three long-term becomes difficult.

Within that framework, Watt becomes the most discussed name. He is 31 and will turn 32 during the 2026 season. His peak production, including a 68-tackle, 19-sack season, came two years ago. More recently, he dealt with a punctured lung late in the 2025 season, which caused him to miss four games. That combination of age, contract, and recent injury introduces the idea of exploring value while it still exists.

The comparison point for compensation is where things get more nuanced. The Dallas Cowboys moved Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers for two first-round picks, but Parsons was 26 at the time. Similarly, the Baltimore Ravens explored a deal for Crosby involving two first-round picks before backing out, and Crosby is 28. Production may be comparable, but age shifts the valuation.

That is where Crowley’s approach stands out. Instead of prioritizing immediate return, he is focusing on timing. A 2027 first-round pick aligns with projections of a quarterback-heavy draft class. Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, Pittsburgh has not secured a long-term answer at quarterback, which keeps that need at the center of roster planning.

“Next year is the quarterback year,” Crowley added. “We thought it would be this year. That’s why they have 12 picks. Next year really is the year. And if you’ve got two first-rounders, you could finally get your franchise quarterback.”

At the same time, the present situation remains unsettled. The Steelers are still waiting on a decision from Aaron Rodgers regarding a potential return. Art Rooney II has indicated that clarity is expected before the 2026 NFL Draft.

Even if Rodgers joins, the long-term question does not go away. Pittsburgh still has to plan for what comes next at quarterback. That is why the trade speculation around Watt and the rest of the linebacker group exists in the first place.

Whether Mike McCarthy ultimately moves in that direction remains uncertain, but the conversation itself has already shifted. The focus is leaning more toward the 2027 strategy than the immediate 2026 outcomes.

The Steelers could swap 2026 draft picks for the future

Unlike the last couple of NFL drafts, this year’s class is not quarterback-heavy, and the same applies to free agency. That context makes the Steelers’ patience with Aaron Rodgers more understandable, while also highlighting the need to address the position in the 2027 NFL Draft.

From a planning standpoint, that approach is already being discussed. According to Ray Fittipaldo, who addressed the scenario on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s North Shore Drive podcast, the Steelers could look to shift draft capital forward by moving 2026 picks into 2027.

“As of right now, if you really want to load up and try to get those future picks, teams are really unwilling to,” Fittipaldo said. “Omar Khan, I think, is gonna be trying to trade back into next year’s draft. I think it’s only natural that he would want to do that. He did a great job this past offseason of accumulating picks for the potential of drafting a quarterback this year.”

The structure of Pittsburgh’s current draft capital supports that idea. The team holds 12 picks in 2026, but realistically, drafting and retaining all 12 on a 53-man roster is unlikely. In addition, seven of those selections fall on Day 3, which limits their immediate impact at premium positions.

That makes the concept of converting current assets into future value more practical. If the objective is to secure a long-term answer at quarterback, aligning resources with a stronger 2027 class becomes a logical step.

With that in mind, Mike McCarthy could take a forward-looking approach. Whether that involves leveraging a major trade, potentially including T.J. Watt, or simply restructuring draft capital, remains uncertain. What is clear is that the Steelers’ strategy appears increasingly tied to maximizing flexibility for 2027 rather than immediate returns in 2026.