Steelers Defender Gets Hit With Unsettling News: "Big Question Mark"

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in unfamiliar territory. The last time the organization went through a big regime change was in the offseason of 2007, when Mike Tomlin was hired to replace Bill Cowher. Now, Mike McCarthy will attempt to work with a relatively revamped roster with the hopes of bringing the franchise back to postseason relevancy. The free agency period was kind to the team, and now the front office has plenty of draft capital to bring in competition that might be much needed for certain players. A true resurgence may be on the horizon in the Steel City.

For the first time in quite a while, the Steelers will have a head coach who is considered to be offensive-minded. The fan base could see a flip in consistency depending on how new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham game plans with his unit. McCarthy will still be involved in the discussions that surround the defense; it just won't be his main focus.

Pittsburgh's new leader has been around for quite some time, which should lead one to believe that he has some ideas on how to get better efforts week in and week out regarding all three phases of the game. On defense, stopping the run and pretty much overall consistency have been key factors that have let the organization down from time to time in recent years.

When asked about the Steelers potentially shifting to using an old-school nose guard, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ray Fittipaldo thought that it was necessary to bring up Keeanu Benton, who is entering a contract year. The insider noted in his fan chat on Tuesday that actually utilizing a nose guard wouldn't be the end of the road for Benton; however, he currently has questions surrounding his future.

"I would love to see that and a commitment to an old-school NG," Fittipaldo wrote. "I don't think they would be giving up on Keeanu Benton. It might just mean he slides over to 3-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 systems. We'll get a better feel for that once OTAs start. Certainly by training camp, we'll know what their plans are for guys like Benton, but for now, it's a big question mark."

There are bound to be significant changes any time a coaching staff is turned over, and it appears as if Benton could be one individual that either benefits, or is completely ruined by the Steelers' 2026 offseason. The NFL Draft will hint at what a lot of the team's plans are, but, for now, Benton could be in jeopardy based on McCarthy and Graham's plans for the defense.

Benton has even been brought up in trade rumors as of late, so it really is up in the air as to what his future holds. Pittsburgh's 2023 draft class has had a bunch of success; however, the front office is not going to be able to extend them all. 

The fact that there is no known solution as to how Benton will fit into the new system should raise both questions and concerns. He has shown flashes of being productive, but it's also hard to ignore the inconsistencies that he has displayed.

Steelers Have So Many Different Options Due To 2026 Draft Capital

With a projected 12 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, fans have heard and read time and time again that Pittsburgh will have the luxury of being flexible once the big event occurs. Current rostered players might be used as trade bait if the front office is able to bring in a strong rookie class. 

Benton surely fits into that category and his constant fluctuation on the defensive line must bring to the surface a concern that hasn't really been noted. As Fittipaldo wrote, what is the coaching staff's plan for the former second-round pick?

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