The Pittsburgh Steelers have kept the extension train rolling, and the latest move might be the most important one yet. Defensive tackle Keeanu Benton is now signed to a four-year, $72 million deal, putting him alongside Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington as another young piece locked into the team’s future.
It’s a contract that will draw plenty of reaction. On the surface, $18 million per year is a hefty number, especially for a pass-rushing specialist whose best season produced 5.5 sacks. Benton has also had his share of issues against the run, so this is not a spotless profile.
Even with those warts, the Steelers appear to have made the right call by getting this done now.
Part of the appeal is that Benton finally looked like he was starting to find his lane last season. His pass rush took a clear step forward, and he provided something Pittsburgh has been missing up front.
The bigger story, though, is fit. The Steelers had been using him as a nose tackle in their base front, which kept him on the field but didn’t really maximize what he does best.
That picture has changed. Yahya Black has been working in as the primary nose tackle, especially in base looks, and that has opened the door for Benton to spend time at defensive end while still taking some snaps at nose tackle depending on the situation.
That is a much cleaner match for Benton’s skill set. A true nose tackle is supposed to absorb bodies and clog running lanes, with anything in the pass rush department as a bonus.
Benton is built more on finesse than brute force, and that plays better on the edge.
His 5.5 sacks last season weren’t a throwaway number, either. It was easily his best year as a pro, and at his age, the Steelers are betting that there’s more growth coming.
That matters because this defensive line needs it. Yahya Black is not expected to be a sack producer, and while the hope is that Derrick Harmon keeps trending up, his strength is run defense.
Even Cameron Heyward’s pass-rush impact is fading. Benton gives the Steelers a different kind of juice in that room.
The price tag may sting, but the market for defensive tackles has blown up. Milton Williams landed $26 million per year on the open market a year ago, despite never topping five sacks in a season.
If Benton had matched or improved on last year, he likely would have been in the $23-25 million-per-year range. Put him in free agency, and he could have been one of the hottest names available.
There is risk here. If last season was a one-year spike and he levels off, the deal could age badly. There’s also the question of how many snaps he’ll actually get in a rotation like this.
Still, the Steelers have reason to feel good about the move. Benton is young enough to keep ascending, and strong defensive lines are built on depth as much as star power. The exact structure of the contract isn’t known yet, but Pittsburgh usually designs these deals so they can move on after a year or two if needed.
For now, though, this looks like another smart investment in a young player who matters. The Steelers are quietly building something here, and Benton’s extension fits right into that bigger picture.
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