While it’s a great thing to have access to an elite pass rusher, it is perhaps equally important to have some semblance of balance on both sides. Similar to having one great wide receiver that you can invest resources in to remove from the game, if your second primary rusher is of minimal threat that you can get away with just chipping him while double- and triple-teaming the elite rusher, your pass rush will be sparse.
That’s what Alex Highsmith is looking to provide for T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers this season as he enters the starting lineup on a full-time basis.