Steelers GM Omar Khan had one of the better draft classes of recent memory in 2023 when he hit on several draft picks, including second-round cornerback Joey Porter Jr., third-round tight end Darnell Washington, and fourth-round outside linebacker Nick Herbig. Amongst those talented players is also second-round defensive tackle Keeanu Benton.
Benton has steadily improved his production season over season, culminating in 747 snaps, six sacks, 32 defensive stops, 38 tackles, and 31 pressures in 2025. That trajectory is promising in a league where good interior line play is rare.
Teams have been extremely reluctant to allow good defensive tackles to leave their buildings, which has led to a dearth of talent being available on the open market. This free agency period saw aging and declining veterans like David Onyemata, Javon Hargrave, and A'Shawn Robinson cash in for eight-digit APY's.
Given the impetus for teams to lock up talented players at this position, the Steelers should have an interest in getting a deal done sooner rather than later for Benton. And since the market is currently overvaluing the position due to scarcity, there should be a strong desire from Benton's camp to explore an extension as well.
Pittsburgh Steelers DL Keeanu Benton could be in line for a big payday
Most contract negotiations center on comparables. General comparables can work to set minimum and maximum bands. For instance, we can compare Benton's 2025 production to some of those aging veterans to establish a value floor.
Player | Snaps | Pressures | Pressure Rate | Sacks | QB Hits | Defensive Stops | Stop Rate | TFL's |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keeanu Benton | 747 | 31 | 7.0% | 6 | 6 | 32 | 4.28% | 3 |
David Onyemata | 633 | 21 | 6.5% | 1 | 1 | 28 | 4.42% | 5 |
A'Shawn Robinson | 658 | 31 | 8.9% | 3 | 6 | 34 | 5.17% | 1 |
Tim Settle | 383 | 17 | 7.9% | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2.61% | 2 |
Sheldon Rankins | 623 | 38 | 9.2% | 3 | 5 | 22 | 3.53% | 3 |
Benton ranks at or near the top almost across the board here. Add in his youth (he will be just 25 when the 2026 season starts), where all of the other players on this list will be 29 or older, and Onyemata's $10.5 million APY becomes the absolute floor for a potential deal for him.
Now, finding a better comp for him—one that incorporates his age, that might point to where his true value lies. Last year the Cowboys inked Osa Odighizuwa to a four year, $80 million. His $20 million APY was 7.16% of the salary cap that year. Here is a quick look at how the two match up, looking at the two-year lead-up to their signing (hypothetical signing for Benton, of course).
Player | Age | Draft Round | Snaps | QB Hits | Sacks | Stops | TFL's | Pressure Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Keeanu Benton | 25.1 | 2 | 1,388 | 14 | 8 | 53 | 4 | 6.5% |
Osa Odighizuwa | 27.1 | 3 | 1,494 | 23 | 10 | 56 | 8 | 11.7% |
The obvious difference here is that Odighizuwa is the much better pass rusher. His pressure numbers and quarterback hits (which signal higher-quality pressure) are significantly higher than what Benton has put together to date. That will reduce his relative cap-adjusted APY in comparison to Odighizuwa. But Benton has age and a slightly better draft pedigree on his side. Those factors would make up for some of that loss.
Given his youth and upside, my estimate is that he comes in at 1.0% lower than Odighizuwa on his APY as a percentage of cap (6.0%). Applied to this year's salary cap of $301.2 million, his APY would be $18 million. For significant extensions like this, the Steelers require a four-year commitment, putting the total value of the deal at $72 million.
Adding in the final year of Benton's rookie deal creates a five-year, $73,749,972 with an effective APY of $14,749,994. Following Pittsburgh's usual contract structure, his deal would likely include $29 million in total guarantees, with about $17,750,000 fully guaranteed.
Projected Keenau Benton contract extension figures
Year | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Cash Flow | Cap Hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2026 | $1,145,000 | $3,904,295 | $17,750,000 | $5,049,295 |
2027 | $11,250,000 | $3,321,000 | $11,250,000 | $14,571,000 |
2028 | $13,500,000 | $3,321,000 | $13,500,000 | $16,821,000 |
2029 | $15,000,000 | $3,321,000 | $15,000,000 | $18,321,000 |
2030 | $16,250,000 | $3,321,000 | $16,250,000 | $19,571,000 |
This gives the Steelers a low effective APY, a low 2026 cap hit, and extreme flexibility after 2027, when they could walk away at any time. It also helps the team start bridging the gap toward the eventual retirement of franchise legend Cam Heyward. And it's just good business.