Keeanu Benton
Getty
PennLive.com's Nick Farabaugh reported Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Keeanu Benton has an upper-body injury.
After the NFL Draft concludes in Pittsburgh in just over two weeks from now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to have to make more important decisions. However, these decisions will revolve around the futures of some of the franchise’s most experienced players. One of those players is veteran defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, who is on the cusp of entering the final year of his rookie deal.
The question is whether or not Pittsburgh wants to pay up for the 24-year-old. With several impactful, veteran players set to enter a contract year, including cornerback Joey Porter Jr., kicker Chris Boswell, etc., it might be tough to extend Benton. In fact, according to Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, Benton doesn’t feel like a top priority for the team.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Could Be Prepared to Let Keeanu Benton Walk
Omar Khan
GettyKeeanu Benton was drafted by the Steelers out of Wisconsin in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Here is what Kaboly had to write on social media about the chances of the team extending Benton before the start of the 2026 season:
“To me, Benton seems like the odd man out – or at least not a top priority of getting an extension done before the season…The addition of Sebastian Joseph-Day and Derrick Harmon, as well as Yahya Black, might put Benton on the back burner.”
Kaboly would go on to mention that Pittsburgh might have no choice but to let him become a free agent because they have so many mouths to feed in terms of extensions. While the team could try to put the transition tag on him next year, that option seems unlikely. It does appear that future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Cam Heyward will likely finish his storied career with the Steelers. Plus, the additions of Joseph-Day and Harmon, as Kaboly noted, have given this defensive line some depth.
Benton is coming off a career year in 2025. He recorded 51 combined tackles, 5.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits. Still, it seems as though the team is prepared to let him go if it comes to that.
The Steelers Need Improved Play From the Defensive Line in 2026
Cameron Heyward Connor Heyward
GettyCam Heyward is entering his 16th NFL season (all with Steelers).
The Steelers had an underperforming season on defense in former head coach Mike Tomlin‘s final year coaching the team. At the end of the 2025 season, the Steelers finished with a total defensive ranking of 25th (305.6 YPG). If it weren’t for the team’s 27 total takeaways (4th-most in the NFL), the Steelers would not have been a playoff team.
Defense starts in the trenches. More specifically, it starts with great play from the defensive tackle position. In a city like Pittsburgh, which appreciates great defense, great defensive line play will need to return to the forefront for the organization. If it does, the Steelers could not only post a better record than 10-7, but Benton could then be due for a major extension. Time will tell if new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham can turn the tide and improve the line play in 2026.