Bears trade proposal brings in $68 million 14.5 sack star as Maxx Crosby alternative

There's no debate that the Chicago Bears need to improve on the defensive side of the football, and there could be a lot of players available for them if they're willing to make a blockbuster trade to do so. 

One player that would make a lot of sense for the Bears to go after is Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith. Highsmith, 28 years old, is one of the better linebackers in the NFL. 

He's also proven that he has the ability to get off the edge and get to the quarterback, posting 14.5 sacks in 2022 and 9.5 in 2025 in just 13 games. The question for the Bears would be centered around what they'd have to move for him, and one Heavy.com writer recently brought up the idea of moving a third-round pick in 2027 for the Steelers veteran.

“In that context, Highsmith in exchange for a third-round pick in 2027 makes plenty of sense for the Bears, as he has averaged more than 8.5 sacks annually over his past six seasons and also provides a multiple-year runway of likely production given his age/current career trajectory,” Max Dible wrote.

If all it would take was a third-round pick and perhaps another late-round selection, there's no reason not to at least give it a try. 

Perhaps the Steelers don't want to move on from Highsmith right now, but if they're willing to do so eventually, he'd be a great option. He's set to be a free agent in 2028, so Pittsburgh might be willing to trade him now to get the best value for him in return.

More NFL news:

• Browns insider floats idea of landing Brendan Sorsby with Jeremiah Smith in strange way
• Browns’ Jared Verse makes Myles Garrett comment that shows he isn’t the same competitor Cleveland legend is
• Stefon Diggs linked to Rams, Chiefs, Commanders after Patriots release
• Harold Fannin Jr. will need to prove his worth in Todd Monken’s Browns offense
• Bengals fans should worry about second-year linebackers in 2026