When the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted DL Keeanu Benton in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, they knew they were getting a run-stuffing defensive tackle that could play the nose in the middle of the defense with the upside to become a viable interior pass rusher in sub-packages.
That’s what DC Teryl Austin said after the team selected Benton back in April, mentioning that they were going to keep him at nose tackle to start and have him grow into a larger role of playing the 3-technique/4i in Pittsburgh’s sub-package defense. Pittsburgh was hesitant in increasing Benton’s role even after DL Cameron Heyward went down with a groin injury, keeping him as a rotational nose tackle with Montravius Adams.
However, Benton’s role has started to expand in the last two weeks, the Wisconsin product seeing more snaps in sub packages. DL Coach Karl Dunbar said that he thinks Benton is coming along the way the Steelers had hoped he would when they drafted him.
“I think he’s a young, explosive young man and he’s learning what we do as a group and he has natural ability that’s starting to show up every Sunday,” Dunbar said regarding Benton to the media via video from Steelers.com. “I think this stuff, we work in practice, and he was ready for it and that’s why we put him in the game. And I think he did a great job. He can rush the passer in the B gap and he’s strong enough to man it against the run. So, I mean, we’re pleased with his performance so far.”
Benton has played over 40% of the defensive snaps in Pittsburgh’s last two games, seeing a season-high of 33 defensive snaps last week against the Ravens. He was moved up the depth chart the previous week, becoming second-string defensive end to go with his designation of backup nose tackle behind Adams, allowing him to get more snaps when Pittsburgh rolls out its nickel and dime packages.
One would argue that Benton has earned the right to usurp Adams for the starting nose tackle job based on what he’s shown thus far through the first five weeks of the season. They wouldn’t be wrong. Benton has been the more productive pass rusher as well as providing quality run defense and is this team’s future along the defensive line. However, Pittsburgh has proven to be stubborn when it comes to playing its defensive rookies and increasing their playing time. Teryl Austin still won’t commit to start CB Joey Porter Jr. after a big-time performance against the Ravens last Sunday.
Call it stubbornness or spoon feeding, but it appears that Benton will continue to be slow-played into the defense, not likely to earn a starting role until later in the year or possibly next season. Whether that is the right strategy is for Pittsburgh to decide, but based on what we’ve seen thus far, Benton has more than earned the role that he currently has on defense.
