Steelers Next Extension Candidate is Obvious - And Not Joey Porter Jr.

Another 2023 draftee with long-term plans with the Pittsburgh Steelers is the next player slated to sign a new deal.

Nov 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) celebrates after a sack against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have had one of the busiest off-seasons in franchise history. With training camp still weeks away and regular season action even further behind, the Steelers have reached agreements on new deals with key veterans like Cam Heyward and Chris Boswell, as well as several members of their 2023 NFL Draft class.

Now that Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington have their deals done, the Steelers have two more members of that impressive class to finalize extensions with. The most important of all of their negotiations, cornerback Joey Porter Jr., remain an ongoing issue to resolve.

Porter Jr.'s deal is going to be complicated and expensive, and the Steelers are pivoting to more easily accomplished contracts. That means that defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, the other 2023 draftee with long-term plans in Pittsburgh, is the next player slated to sign a new deal.

Why Benton Deserves Extension

The talent has always been present for Keeanu Benton, but the production was a concern. That changed in 2025, when the former second-round pick broke out. He finished last year with 5.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, marking career highs in both categories.

He also showed significant improvement in his missed tackle rate. It wasn't a perfect performance on his part, but he went from missing over 17% of his tackle attempts in 2024 to a 12% missed tackle rate in 2025.

Benton has taken significant strides over his three NFL seasons, and he's ready for the next one in 2026. The Steelers see that potential realizing and they have to pay him before he becomes too expensive.

Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (95) reacts as he takes the field against the Indianapolis Colts at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Why Benton's Extension Is More Feasible for Steelers

There is one reason that makes Benton such a strong pick for the next extension signed. That reason is the number $18 million.

That's the salary Cam Heyward will earn in 2026. That also is, effectively, the upper limit of salary the team would spend on another interior defensive lineman.

The good news for the Steelers is that they won't have to sniff that $18 million salary in a new Benton deal. The market for the top DL in the NFL dramatically drops off after the elite players at the position. Two of the top-earning players during this most recent free agency was Javon Hargrave and Khyiris Tonga, and neither is making a salary above $11.5 million. The Steelers themselves dipped into the free agency pool when they signed Sebastian Joseph-Day to a two-year deal worth a total of $11 million, meaning he'll earn $5.5 million in 2026.

That puts Benton in a range between the Joseph-Day and Hargrave for his next deal. If that is what holds true, that means Benton will command somewhere between $6 and $11 million annually. That's a number the Steelers can easily digest in 2026 and beyond.

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