Now in the role of defensive coordinator, it is more clearly in the purview of Teryl Austin to get the maximum amount of productivity of everybody on the defense, not just the secondary, which was his primary charge in his previous role. That includes the edge rushers, among them third-year Alex Highsmith, entering his second season as a full-time starter.
The 2020 third-round pick talked to reporters recently about how he is still looking to turn the corner and elevate his game, including in terms of sheer production. He finished the 2021 season with six sacks, but he believes he can easily double that number.