A lot of questions have followed Keeanu Benton and the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. The “will they, won’t they” contract saga continues as the team still hasn’t inked him to a new deal.
On paper, it feels like Pittsburgh wants to see him in a different role this year and stack good seasons before giving him a big deal.
According to Bill Barnwell, that could be a massive gamble.
In a recent ESPN article, Barnwell wrote about every player on every team who he values at a first-round pick (or better). The Steelers had seven players overall make the cut, with Benton being included in that list.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may be misvaluing Keeanu Benton
While time will tell if Benton ultimately gets a new deal with the Steelers, it doesn’t feel that likely right now. Barnwell seems to think Benton has a lot of value in the league.
I’ve been adamant that I would ink Benton to a deal now. The defensive line is still a bit in flux as Cameron Heyward isn’t around for long. Options are needed to fill in for him once he has retired.
Benton is also currently the best pass rusher along the defensive line. His run defense is suspect, but the league is still built around the passing game. A fair extension now keeps a familiar face around through this transition.
However, a first-round pick for Benton feels extremely rich.
He is coming off his best season, but the inconsistencies were still there in his overall game. In need of a new deal either this year or next, it feels like a first-round pick for Benton would be an overpay.
This could speak to how the league as a whole views an up-and-coming defensive lineman. Maybe a first-round pick isn’t what he would net in a trade, but the league could certainly value him more than the fans or the team.
We saw an example of that a few years back with Dan Moore Jr. He got paid far more than anyone expected once he hit the open market. I wouldn’t be shocked if Benton receives a similarly shocking deal if he is allowed to hit free agency.
While I disagree with Barnwell’s assessment, Benton may be worth more than we are giving him credit for. At the minimum, it reopens the door for a serious conversation about signing him to a reasonable extension this summer.
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