The “next man up” philosophy is easier to preach than achieve in the NFL. Well, the Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t had much of a choice while enduring a fair share of injuries in recent weeks. Derrick Harmon (foot) was placed on injured reserve, requiring him to miss at least four games. Luckily, Keeanu Benton filled the interior defensive line position with urgency and determination.
His dominance against Tampa Bay forced Patrick Graham to take notice.
“I was very pleased with him, very pleased,” Graham expressed to reporters. “I thought it was a really solid game for him.”
Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator’s excitement concerning Benton’s performance is expected. The former second-round pick disrupted two passing plays, recorded two tackles for loss, and finished with three tackles in Pittsburgh’s 26-19 overtime victory. He played a huge role in disrupting the line of scrimmage and limiting rushing lanes for opposing tailbacks.
The impact helped limit Bucky Irving to 2.4 yards per carry.
The performance was impossible to ignore. It’s what fans want to see. It was a return on investment from a commitment the front office made a few months prior. In August, Pittsburgh offered Benton a four-year $72 million contract extension. It tied the former Wisconsin Badger with Cameron Heyward as the fifth-highest-paid player on Pittsburgh’s defense at $18 million in annual value.
In fact, Benton’s extension made him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in franchise history. According to Over the Cap, he ranks 24th in annual average among NFL interior defensive linemen.
But will Pittsburgh’s rising X-factor continue to show he deserved every cent of an historic extension?
Patrick Graham needs Keeanu Benton to remain a consistent X-Factor for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense
Truthfully, Pittsburgh cannot afford for Benton to regress.
Sure, Harmon will eventually return to the gridiron after being on injured reserve. But Graham’s defensive line will still need a solid rotation to cause havoc at the line of scrimmage. Cameron Heyward (37) has yet to experience a decline in performance despite being a seasoned veteran. His 20 total tackles, sack, and four pass deflections are hard to overlook.
But it’s unrealistic to expect the future Hall of Famer to carry the brunt of the defensive line’s production. The savvy veteran is taking younger players under his wing. He’s teaching them his tricks of the trade to maximize success on the gridiron.
It was evident watching Harmon swat passes away at the line of scrimmage a few weeks back. And now Benton is honing the technique. It’s been interesting to watch his development since joining Pittsburgh.
And Graham believes the defensive lineman still has room to grow.
“I just love where the trajectory of the season is going for him” Graham said.
Heyward will not anchor Pittsburgh’s defensive front forever. Eventually, someone must inherit that responsibility. If Sunday’s performance was any indication, Benton is determined to prove the Steelers invested $72 million correctly.
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