The Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 NFL Draft class has helped change the narrative around their ability to build through the draft, and general manager Omar Khan has begun rewarding the players he selected with lucrative contract extensions.
He locked up emerging edge rusher Nick Herbig to a four-year, $100 million extension earlier this summer, and tight end Darnell Washington's new four-year, $42 million deal came shortly after. That left two more rising stars who were up for new deals from that year's class: Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton.
It was assumed by many that Porter Jr. would be up next, but Khan chose to lock down a key piece of the defensive front instead. Late on Friday night, Benton and the Steelers agreed to a four-year, $72 million deal to keep the interior defender in Pittsburgh through the rest of the decade. It may look like a lot of money on the surface for a player with 7.5 career sacks, but the numbers don't tell the whole story.
Keeanu Benton has the chance to finally break out in the Pittsburgh Steelers new defense
Paying a player with the limited production that Benton has put up through his first three seasons seems like a scary proposition, and it's certainly not a guarantee that he lives up to the $18 million per year price tag he will have going into 2027 and beyond. However, there has been one key factor that has limited his ability to consistently get to the quarterback.
For reasons that only former head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin could explain, Benton was asked to be the Steelers' primary nose tackle since arriving in Pittsburgh. Despite being a relatively average-sized interior defender (6'4", 309 pounds) and lacking elite strength to make up for that lack of girth, he was trotted out there and asked to make it work.
Due to being played out of position on a significant amount of his snaps, his production as both a run defender and a pass rusher suffered during his first two seasons.
Luckily for both himself and the Steelers, Benton overcame being played out of position last season to rack up 5.5 sacks and 51 tackles. That jump in production, combined with the new coaching staff led by HC Mike McCarthy and DC Patrick Graham, was all Omar Khan needed to see before handing him a lucrative extension.
With 2025 fifth-round pick Yahya Black taking over the starting nose tackle job this year, the sky is the limit for how impactful Benton can become now that he won't be pigeon-holed into that role. The trio of Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, and Benton could become one of the NFL's most dominant interior units in the league this season, and the Steelers were smart to pay him now just in case he fully realizes his potential.
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