Keeanu Benton's Price Tag Approaching Cutoff Point for Steelers

As the summer goes on, the price for Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keenu Benton and the likelihood of him hitting the free agent market only rise.

Dec 21, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) celebrates after a sack during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers made a shrewd investment in their organization's future with the contract extensions handed out to edge rusher Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington. The deals keep two of the team's top young players and members of the 2023 draft class around for the foreseeable future.

The trouble is now beginning for the Steelers, however. Extending Herbig and Washington deserves praise, but two other key members of that draft class are still seeking new deals. The negotiations with star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. are expected to resume later this summer, as are talks with defensive lineman Keeanu Benton.

Getting things done with Porter Jr. will take time and patience as he looks to join the highest-paid players at his position. Meanwhile, a deal for Benton is much more attainable, right? It's not quite that simple, unfortunately. As the summer goes on, the price for Benton and the likelihood of him hitting the free agent market only rise.

Thanks, Jeffery Simmons

A small, but not insignificant piece of this conundrum is superstar defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. Coming off a career-best performance in 2025, Simmons was rewarded with the biggest deal ever signed by a defensive tackle.

No one is arguing that Benton is in the same stratosphere as Simmons, but his etensions complicates the matter. Benton already was in line for a sizeable raise, meaning his annual salary would come in anywhere from $10 to $16 million. Now that Simmons, the top player at the position, is making an average above $30 million and counts for over $25 million against the salary cap in 2026, the price for Benton just got that much more expensive.

Now, the market is inflated, ever so slightly. Instead of $10 to $16 million per season, Benton can now earn a range of $12 to $20 million per season.

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) celebrates a tackle during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will Steelers Pay Benton?

The Steelers clearly have a willingness to pay their top players, just ask Herbig or Washington or Cam Heyward or Chris Boswell if that's true for them.

But eventually, the coffers have to run dry, right? If the Steelers want to give Porter Jr. a big contract, which they should, it could cost them another $100+ million easily.

Benton is worthy of a second contract, there is no doubting that. The problem is that his asking price, deserved or not, might be too high for the Steelers to pay. If the team wants to bring back Porter Jr. and leave themselves flexibility for even more big extensions next offseason, it may cost them Keeanu Benton. At the very least, the longer the summer goes on, the higher his price becomes and the more likely he is to move on after the 2026 campaign.

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