**Player: DL Keeanu Benton**
**Stock Value: Up**
**Reasoning:** _With the release of Larry Ogunjobi and no significant moves to replace him, Keeanu Benton is facing a pivotal moment with the Steelers. While they are likely to add another defensive lineman high in the draft, the third-year man will get his opportunity. After playing 59 percent of the snaps a year ago, he could see his snap count climb close to 800._
Since free agency began, events have only strengthened Keeanu Benton’s position with the Steelers. Whether that’s how they envisioned it or otherwise, it’s difficult to say. Perhaps they had every intention of signing a full-time starter, but the defensive line market is peaking right now.
Now clearer illustration of that is the Steelers releasing Larry Ogunjobi, only to watch him sign with a contending team like the Buffalo Bills for more money than the Steelers were slated to pay him. They did add to the room, but Benton will be responsible for absorbing most of the lost snaps.
Since free agency began, Pittsburgh has added two defensive linemen. They have signed Daniel Ekuale and Esezi Otomewo, both cheap additions. Under better circumstances, perhaps neither would be locks to make the 53-man roster. As it is, the Steelers will need at least one, but Keeanu Benton is the biggest beneficiary thus far.
A second-round pick in 2023, Benton has yet to break out for the Steelers. While he has flashed plenty of talent, he hasn’t fully translated talent to production. That’s not incredibly dissimilar to both Stephon Tuitt and Javon Hargrave, who found more production in later seasons.
The Steelers are counting on Keeanu Benton being more of a late bloomer in that respect, even if his third season is far from “late”. Over two years, he does have 1,125 snaps played with 72 tackles. He has three tackles for loss and two sacks, with two forced fumbles and an interception and eight passes defensed. The pass rush is a particular area of production growth the Steelers are likely targeting, and perhaps they can put Benton in better positions beginning this season.
_With the new league year underway and the Steelers turning their roster over, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that_ [_change the team talked about_](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/steelers-make-their-coaching-changes-they-still-manage-to-disappoint/) _after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract._
_There is still a long way to go before we know what this Steelers team is going to look like. Once the dust settles on free agency, we turn our attention_ [_to the draft_](https://www.nfl.com/draft/)_, and so on. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? If they traded for one player, they could certainly trade for another, or trade one away. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?_