PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers paid big money to multiple members of their 2023 draft class this past offseason.

The trio of tight end Darnell Washington , defensive tackle Keeanu Benton and linebacker Nick Herbig all cashed in over the summer , securing a sizable raise and their place on the franchise moving forward.

To begin the 2026 campaign, the recently-paid Steelers got off to a sluggish start. Benton recorded just six tackles, four of which were assisted, over the opening three weeks. Herbig had half of a great game in Week 2 against the New England Patriots, but his lack of production outside of that turned him into an early candidate for the fanbase's criticism.

Then, Week 6 happened. Herbig recorded six tackles, all solo and 2.0 sacks.…