After Bud Dupree tore his ACL last season, Alex Highsmith moved into a starting role on the edge of the Steelers defense and Dupree’s departure as a free agent this offseason signaled that he’d remain in that role this season.
That outlook changed last week, however. The Steelers signed Melvin Ingram and the veteran’s presence will impact who is lining up across from T.J. Watt during the 2021 season.
Highsmith’s playing time may go down as a result of his arrival, but the 2020 third-round pick had nothing but good things to say about Ingram’s arrival in Pittsburgh.
“It was awesome,” Highsmith said, via Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “So far, Melvin has been great for us here. He’s been a guy I’ve been able to ask questions and to learn from. He’s a veteran, Pro Bowl guy. All of us were excited when we brought him in.”
It remains to be seen how the playing time will shake out this year, but the hope in Pittsburgh is that it will be a case of the more the merrier when it comes to the pass rushing spots.