The Steelers just got a fresh warning about what Keeanu Benton could cost them, and it came from an unexpected place: Green Bay.
When the Packers handed defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt a three-year, $57 million extension, it didn’t just reward one player. It also nudged the market for interior defensive disruptors a little higher, which means Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan now has another number to think about as Benton’s future comes into focus.
Wyatt’s deal makes sense on its own terms. The former first-round pick has piled up 16 sacks over his first four seasons and has established himself as a legitimate quarterback hunter with the kind of size that can anchor the middle of a defense. That contract, though, also works as a kind of reference point for other teams trying to lock down young defensive tackles before the price climbs again.
That’s where Benton enters the picture.
Pittsburgh has always prized physical play up front, and Benton is increasingly becoming part of that identity. In 2025, he started at nose tackle in Terryl Austin’s defensive scheme, a step up from the rotational role he had filled in previous seasons. The former Wisconsin Badger handled the job well.
His path has been gradual, but the production has been building. Since 2023, Benton has recorded 7.5 sacks, including 5.5 in a strong 2024 season. That kind of interior pressure matters for a defense that wants to broaden what it can do, and Benton’s mix of versatility and pass-rush ability gives Pittsburgh something to work with as Patrick Graham’s creative new vision takes shape.
Still, the Steelers are dealing with the same problem every team faces when a promising player hasn’t quite had the full breakout yet: how much is the upside worth?
Benton has earned a starting role, but he hasn’t delivered that defining season that makes a long-term deal feel easy. Even so, there’s clearly a place for him on the roster. The real question is the price tag.
Wyatt’s extension offers a loose template. His contract averages about $19 million per year, and that number could become the starting point if Pittsburgh waits too long. The longer the Steelers let the market move, the more expensive Benton may become.
The comparison between the two linemen isn’t hard to see. Benton is listed at 6-foot-4, Wyatt at 6-foot-3, and both are big bodies built to clog lanes and make life miserable for offensive lines. Wyatt’s recent success turned into a new payday in Green Bay, and Benton’s combination of size and versatility gives him a case for a similar kind of investment.
The Steelers have used Benton at multiple techniques, and that flexibility only adds to his value. Wyatt may have the edge in experience, but Benton brings a different kind of usefulness to Pittsburgh’s front. If the team believes in what he can become, the time to act is now, before the interior defensive tackle market climbs even higher.
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