Steelers Could Seriously Be At A Crossroads With Pending Free Agent: "Doesn't Make Any Sense"

With summer right around the corner, it's now time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to focus on contract extensions. They have already taken care of Chris Boswell recently, but still have major needs with Joey Porter Jr., Nick Herbig, and Darnell Washington. Porter has become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and will likely be paid as such. Herbig is a young, ascending pass rusher who, with a bigger role, could have a breakout season. Washington will likely get the smallest deal, but he proved to be one of the team's most important pieces on offense, a top blocking tight end, and a capable pass catcher.  

Another player looking for an extension is defensive tackle Keeanu Benton. Benton has been an odd player for the franchise, however. The team has seemingly played him out of position. Since he was drafted, the Steelers have wanted Benton to play the head-up nose tackle position, and while he had a nice rookie season, he looked unplayable at times in 2026. He has proven he is not a consistently good scheme fit for the 3-4 defense, which makes it that much harder to give him a contract extension. 

Long-time insider Mark Kaboly recently appeared on an episode of his new show, Steelers Collective, where he discussed potential upcoming extensions. Kaboly and co-host Ray Fittipaldo both agreed that bringing Benton back would not make any sense for the organization. 

"I just don't know, if you got Sebastian Joseph-Day, you got Derrick Harmon, you got Yahya Black, what am I doing with Keeanu Benton right now? Being able to sign him right now just doesn't make any sense to me," Kaboly said. 

Fittipaldo would give Steeler Nation a more in-depth reason why a Benton extension makes no sense, but he mentioned what Benton's role could be in 2026 if he continues to struggle at the nose spot.

"The whole issue is he's not a run-stuffing nose guard, and if you really want to improve your run defense, maybe Sebastian Joseph-Day will end up being that guy this year. Maybe Keeanu Benton is more of a sub-package guy, but they have not been a good run defense since Keeanu Benton has arrived," Fittipaldo said. 

The team's run defense has been a big issue the past few seasons from top to bottom. All the blame can't be placed on Benton, but many argue that he is not helping the case. He has shown that his best skills are as a pass rusher when he can penetrate up field, rather than when he plays two gaps. 

He recorded a career-high 5.5 sacks in 2026, showing he's at least improving in that department. 

Steelers May Still Need Benton

While Benton's value as a run stopper may not be up to par, his value as a pass rusher will be difficult to replace. He was quietly the team's best interior pass rusher, with Cam Heyward not putting up as many sacks in 2025 as he normally does. Heyward is still an excellent run-stopper and has that powerful bull rush, but his best pass-rushing days may be behind him. The team's defensive line has some very nice pieces currently, but it lacks a consistent interior pass rush, which makes Benton all the more valuable. 

With Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black coming off strong rookie seasons, the hope is that they develop their pass-rushing abilities. The Steelers will need those two to step up big time, especially with Heyward getting older. Benton is entering his prime and should be a solid player in the NFL for years to come. 2026 however, very well could be his last season in the black and gold.

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