What Should the Steelers 24-Year-Old Defensive Lineman Expect for His Production in 2026?
After a full retooling of the Steelers coaching staff, now led by former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh approaches the 2026 season with an offensive mindset for the first time in 19 years. McCarthy’s track record of winning through offense, combined with general manager Omar Khan’s signing of free agent RB Rico Dowdle and the trade for WR Michael Pittman Jr., signals this shift. With offense as the focus, defensive responsibilities now fall solely on Patrick Graham. The Steelers hired Graham for his proven pedigree after leading a mediocre Raiders defense to 14th in the league. Expectations are high for what he can achieve with Pittsburgh’s deeper defensive talent. The Steelers’ edge rushing group of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig forms a three-headed monster, and their line is captained by Walter Payton Man of the Year Cameron Heyward, while players such as former Wisconsin Badger Keeanu Benton play a crucial supporting role.
Previously, under Mike Tomlin as head coach and Teryl Austin as Defensive Coordinator, the Steelers defense primarily featured two off-set defensive linemen, including Heyward and a rotating partner. Now, Benton, Derrick Harmon, or the newly signed Sebastian Joseph-Day could fill that complementary role. Benton, a six-foot-four defensive tackle, recorded 51 tackles, five-and-a-half sacks, six tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble in his best season yet in 2025, all while playing in Pittsburgh’s base defensive package. Persistently, stopping the run has remained a major challenge for the Steelers, as they have not ranked within the top ten for four years, and were last in 2021, allowing 146 rushing yards per game. Building on these concerns, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette suggests Pittsburgh could implement a true, old-school style nose guard. He specifically mentions Benton, suggesting, “I don’t think they would be giving up on Keeanu Benton. It might just mean he slides over to a three technique and plays more in sub-packages than in base. The hardest thing for me right now is projecting where some of these guys will fit in McCarthy’s defense.”
The promise of Harmon, who only played 12 games his rookie season, and the addition of veteran Joseph-Day put Benton on watch, as his work alongside Heyward for the past three seasons has improved each time he steps on the field. Many believe that how Benton plays in 2026 will determine his future with the team, as he will become a free agent after the 2026 season. Steelers beat writer Brian Batko believes that Benton could be the target for a pre-draft trade, as he states, “Kayden McDonald is a name that’s certainly been on my list of guys that you would expect the Steelers to at least look at, if not draft. Then you could say, ‘Hey, would you give us a second round for Keeanu Benton?’” While Pittsburgh would likely consider a trade for Benton, if the price is right, they just spent a first-round pick on a defensive tackle in Derrick Harmon, and Watt is nearing the end of his career. It would be a mistake by Pittsburgh to trade Benton, and keeping him to utilize him in base packages and sub-packages as a nose guard, as Fittipaldo had mentioned, would be the smartest choice for the Steelers, as they look to address their talented 2023 draft class, who are soon to be free agents.
