However, there are significant caveats. Herbig is a rising star on the Steelers’ edge, with a career-best 7.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits in 2025, but he’s on an expiring contract and not guaranteed to remain in Pittsburgh beyond this season. Trading him could weaken the team’s pass rush, especially with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith already on sizable contracts.
McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick, has appeared in six NFL games with limited starting experience. In six games, he’s thrown five touchdowns with one interception and averaged 6.8 yards per attempt, but the sample size is too small to deem him the quarterback of the future. Pittsburgh would need to evaluate McKee against an established competition in training camp and preseason, all while managing a quarterback room that also includes Mason Rudolph and Will Howard.
From the Eagles’ perspective, adding a young edge rusher like Herbig has clear value, but trading a controllable asset for a quarterback who hasn’t proven himself would require substantial compensation. The approach could also derail the Steelers’ potential free-agent plans, including any pursuit of a veteran like Aaron Rodgers if Rodgers remains undecided.
Overall, while a Herbig-for-McKee swap is theoretically plausible in a vacuum, it’s unlikely to be a prudent move for the Steelers absent a significant draft-and-player package and a clear, long-term plan at quarterback. The article suggests delaying any decision on McKee until Rodgers’ status is resolved and weighing the trade in a broader personnel strategy rather than a one-for-one swap.
