On June 19, Jeffery Simmons took the football world by storm when it was announced that he had signed a three-year, $105 million contract extension with the Tennessee Titans. Simmons' new money average of $35.3 million per season blew Chiefs' Chris Jones out of the water for the top-billed defensive tackle in NFL history. Now, Pittsburgh Steelers fans have a right to be worried.
Before Simmons' contract, general manager Omar Khan and the Steelers' front office were already trying to figure out a way to finagle the finances to get both Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton locked up on long-term contract extensions.
Now things just got a bit trickier.
Benton, Pittsburgh's No. 49 overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, is entering a contract year and is coming off a promising campaign, marked by career-high tackle (51), sacks (5.5), and tackle-for-loss (6) numbers.
But with Simmons recently obliterating the defensive tackle market, the Steelers may already be doomed in their pursuit of signing Benton to a long-term deal.
Jeffery Simmons made it even harder for the Pittsburgh Steelers to extend Keeanu Benton
Let's be fair, as a football player, Benton isn't in the same tier as Simmons. Alongside players like Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, and perhaps even the Steelers' own Cam Heyward, Simmons is considered one of the very best defensive tackles in the NFL.
But that doesn't mean Simmons' new deal won't help Benton break the bank.
Because of the market reset, it's only reasonable to consider that the price tag just went up on Benton, who will be just 25 years old for the 2026 season. While Simmons is clearly a better player, he turns 29 in July. Benton, meanwhile, has a bright future ahead of him, and this won't help the Steelers' front office get a discount.
Even before Simmons' record-setting contract, there was already reason to be concerned with Benton's potential price tag on an extension. Over the past two offseasons, Milton Williams and Jordan Davis both raked in $26 million per season in new-money average on extensions despite being part-time players with limited stat sheet production.
Meanwhile, Spotrac's calculated market value suggests that Benton will also earn $26 million per season in new money average.
This is all bad news for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are currently trying to sign two talented players from their 2023 draft class while on a strict financial budget.
Simmons' contract may have been the straw that broke the camel's back when it comes to getting Keeanu Benton a long-term deal in Pittsburgh.
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