The Pittsburgh Steelers have spent the early portion of the offseason locking down pieces of their future. Chris Boswell got rewarded. Nick Herbig got rewarded. Darnell Washington got rewarded. Yet despite those moves, two names remain at the top of the list when discussing long-term priorities: Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton.
If Pittsburgh is serious about maintaining the foundation of its defense beyond the next few seasons, extending both players sooner rather than later makes too much sense.
Joey Porter Jr. has already become what the Steelers hoped he would be
When the Steelers selected Porter in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the expectations were enormous. Not only because of his pedigree, but because Pittsburgh desperately needed a young cornerback capable of matching up with elite receivers.
So far, Porter has delivered.
His development has not been perfect. Penalties remain a talking point and consistency still has room to grow. However, the traits that made him attractive as a prospect continue to show up every week: physicality, length, confidence, and the ability to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage.
As for penalties, those are largely overblown and even last year’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain, had more defensive pass interference calls against him than Porter did.
The Steelers already watched the market explode around premium positions such as edge rusher and got ahead of it with Nick Herbig’s new deal. Cornerback contracts continue trending the same direction. Therefore it makes sense to lockup the lockdown defensive back, as cornerback is one of the most expensive positions in football.
Waiting too long rarely saves money. If Porter takes another leap in 2026, the price tag only climbs.
There is also the roster-building aspect. Veterans eventually age out or move on. Building a secondary around Porter provides stability in a division filled with elite quarterback play and explosive passing offenses. Pittsburgh spent years cycling through cornerback solutions. They finally appear to have one worth keeping.
Keeanu Benton is becoming the next centerpiece up front
The Steelers have always prioritized the trenches. Their best defenses historically featured disruptive defensive linemen who did more than occupy blockers: Benton fits that mold.
While his box score production may not always jump off the page, his impact regularly shows up on film. He creates interior pressure, disrupts rushing lanes, and provides versatility across multiple alignments.
More importantly, Pittsburgh may soon need him to become the face of the defensive line room.
For years, that responsibility belonged to Cameron Heyward, but Father Time remains undefeated against athletes. Eventually, the Steelers will need another player capable of anchoring the front for the next decade. Benton could be that player, especially with new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham looking at more exotic schemes.
Interior defensive linemen who consistently generate pressure are increasingly difficult to find. Teams across the league spend premium draft picks chasing that exact skill set. The Steelers may already possess it.
Allowing Benton to approach free agency without serious extension discussions would create unnecessary risk. In fact, it feels a lot like when Javon Hargrave played into his final season, and eventually played to a level that Pittsburgh was unable to afford to bring back.
They need to get ahead of the curve by making a smart, long-term deal with Benton this offseason.
Why acting early matters
The Steelers deserve credit for their approach. Recent extensions suggest the front office understands something important: paying ascending players before their value peaks is usually better than waiting until the market sets the price.
This is somewhat of a carryover from the Kevin Colbert era, though Omar Khan is signing extensions earlier (during minicamps) in an attempt to avoid “sit ins” or no-shows during training camp.
Now, Porter and Benton both check the boxes organizations look for when making early commitments, as each are young foundational players at premium positions, with strong upsides. Neither extension would likely come cheap, but if each continues to produce, their potential earnings next offseason will explode: and perhaps see them playing somewhere other than the Steel City.
That is exactly why Pittsburgh should move sooner rather than later. The Steelers spent years trying to patch roster holes with short-term solutions at cornerback and defensive line. Porter and Benton offer something much more valuable: long-term answers.
If Omar Khan and company truly want to build sustained success, the next contracts practically write themselves.