The Steelers Have An Interesting Dilemma Surrounding One Man's Future

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been throwing money around left and right during the 2026 offseason. They signed three key players to extensions, and Joey Porter Jr. is due for one himself. That one will easily be the most expensive of all the deals Pittsburgh has done over the last few months. Of course, it's worth it to extend arguably the best press corner in all of football even though he is going to have high demands. General Manager Omar Khan will have his work cut out for him during this lull period before training camp. 

That deal with Porter is all about finding a common ground in terms of money, but that's not the only problem Khan has to deal with. In his latest Q&A chat, insider Gerry Dulac mentioned another odd contract situation that the Steelers are trying to look through.

"[Keeanu Benton] is one of the players they wanted to extend before the season -- and they still might," Dulac said. "But he is not their NT. Yahya Black is."

Many fans questioned the previous coaching staff when it continued to have Keeanu Benton play nose tackle, despite the fact that he was built more as a 3-tech. He regressed in his second season, but had a solid 2025 campaign to get back on track and earn the respect of his new coaching staff. Clearly, they like him enough to want him to get paid and stick around for a while, even if it's not at nose tackle. 

There's just one problem with that: Yahya Black at nose tackle works well, but former first-round pick Derrick Harmon is the starting defensive end, with captain Cameron Heyward remaining at defensive tackle for another year. It's nice that the Steelers want to pay Benton, but there is nowhere for him to start, barring injury. Even then, he would be fighting with Sebastian Joseph-Day for that open role if it comes up. 

As much as the Steelers want to pay Benton and move him to where he's more comfortable, it doesn't make sense to throw money at a player who doesn't really have a true fit on the team. Unless they give him a short-term deal with very little money, extending him doesn't feel like a legitimate option at this point. It's unfortunate for the former second-round pick, who has just done what he's asked his whole career.

Steelers' Options For Benton's Future

The first option is to allow him to play out his contract and see what happens. Despite his recent extension, there is the chance that Heyward retires at the end of 2026. If so, that would be a great time to bring Benton back so he can help fill the captain's shoes. As mentioned before, there could be an unfortunate injury elsewhere, which would open up a spot for him and help him get re-signed in the 2027 offseason. 

If the Steelers do extend him, it's hard to imagine that there will be a lot of money tied up for Benton. It would most likely be a 1–2-year extension where he makes around the same money as a low-end starter / high-end backup defensive lineman. That way, he would get his job security, while Pittsburgh avoids breaking the bank for yet another extension of a 2023 draftee. 

However, odds are Benton can make more money in the open market. At this point, it seems like the most likely scenario will be that he plays out his current contract and evaluates his offers in 2027 free agency. Defensive line is seen as one of the more important positions in the game, so there would likely be some team out there willing to give him a nice raise and make him a full-time starter.

What do you think about the Steelers wanting to extend Benton despite him not having a starting role currently? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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