Of the Steelers’ many contract extensions to contemplate this offseason, Keeanu Benton is among the more intriguing on the list. Going into his fourth season, he is due for a new deal, but to what extent do they value him? Although he produced more splash plays last year, are they comfortable with his down-in, down-out work? And how does that translate into dollars and cents in contract talks?
Another wrinkle in the mix is how the Steelers’ new coaching staff views Keeanu Benton. Mike Tomlin’s staff isolated him as a nose tackle, at least in the base defense. But they still have Cam Heyward, and they just drafted Derrick Harmon, a rookie starter of quality. So how does this work out in terms of negotiating a contract extension with him?
“That’s a tough one. I’m not convinced that [Benton]’s a great nose tackle,” Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday. “I think he can be a plus rotational guy. I would not pay him big money. If you can get him to sign for maybe $7-8 million a year, I would do that. But I’m just not convinced that he’s your long-term nose tackle.”
The Steelers selected Keeanu Benton in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. That was GM Omar Khan’s inaugural group, and that entire class remains, including several starters. Benton is one of them, and statistically, he is coming off a career year.
During the 2025 season, Benton also saw an increase in workload. He went from 641 snaps to 746, or 59 percent to 64. Part of that was due to Harmon’s injuries, but it also reflected the Steelers making use of him in more roles.
He finished the season with a career-high 51 tackles, including 6 for loss, having had 3 in his two previous seasons combined. Notching a single sack in each year going into 2025, Keeanu Benton recorded 5.5 last season. Although he fell off in terms of batting balls, he also forced another fumble. And he recorded another sack in the Steelers’ playoff loss, along with a forced fumble.
While the numbers look good, especially if you want to paint him as a nose tackle, that is a double-edged sword. One could also argue that Benton bears considerable responsibility for the Steelers’ run defense’s failings.
Though the coaching staff habitually dismissed the concern, Benton is not prototypically shaped like a nose tackle. He doesn’t, quite simply, have the bulk. It’s fair to argue that he doesn’t have the constitution, either. While he is capable of playing a traditional two-gap, block-swallowing role, it’s not his strength. Sometimes it’s literally a matter of strength, with offensive line combo-blocks overpowering him. Other times, his technique and discipline break down.
So, how do the Steelers view Keeanu Benton heading into 2026? What is the role they envision him playing, and how do they feel they can work on it? He now has Domata Peko as his defensive line coach, who certainly knows a little something about playing the run. And what does Benton think? For all we know, he’ll prefer to take his chances and play out his contract to hit free agency.