Steelers Suddenly On The Verge Of 2 Major Extensions

The Pittsburgh Steelers have concluded the 2026 NFL Draft, so once they get the rookie contracts all finalized, all that will be left to do is focus on the men in-house. There are a handful of players due for extensions, although expectations are that most of them would just play out their deals and then revisit negotiations in January and February of next year. Of course, the team has a strict rule that they don't ever negotiate once the regular season begins. When Week 1 kicks off, all extension talks stop immediately. 

It sounds like the Steelers have already gotten started on extension talks. Former Steelers defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko recently announced that an agency group told him a pair of defensive players in Pittsburgh are working to get a new deal done sooner rather than later as negotiations have officially begun. 

General Manager Omar Khan is getting right to work to make sure he gets to keep his guys around, as both players were from his first ever draft class. There are some questions that come from the decision to negotiate with these two, but one thing is for certain: he is confident that these men have what it takes to lead the defense into the future and be key pieces of this new era. 

Nick Herbig could arguably be a starter on any other NFL team, especially if they run the 3-4 defense like the Steelers do. The only reason he does not start in Pittsburgh is the fact that two players with second contracts are above him, including former AP Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt. Herbig may be great, but he only gets to showcase his talents in a limited role as a spot starter or rotational piece. 

Meanwhile, Keeanu Benton has had a somewhat up-and-down career already. His play stagnated hard in his second year, but he had a solid bounce-back campaign in 2025. Originally, he seemed like a guy that would wait for a new deal due to the inconsistent years, but Khan has clearly seen enough if he's willing to start negotiating now. It will be interesting to see where this goes exactly, especially if the team wants to keep him at nose tackle, or move him to defensive end.

Steelers Have Big Questions Heading Into 2026 With New Extension

The Steelers have three (potentially four) great edge rushers on the team. It would be nice to keep all of them, but in the salary cap era, that's just not likely or reasonable. Maybe they all stick around for a year, but if Herbig gets his bag, that means Watt or Alex Highsmith will probably have to be moved to be able to afford key players at other positions. Khan has to figure out who will be dealt away and when. 

Meanwhile, Benton has seemingly played out of position his entire career. He fits better as a defensive end, but he has been put at nose tackle since he was drafted. With a new coaching staff, it will be interesting if he is still used as a 0-tech or if they move him to a new role to go along with this extension. That may also affect how much money Khan decides to give to him.

Herbig is expected to get paid for how amazing he's been. Benton, however, does not appear to be valued very high. What Khan could do to keep him happy is to give him the DeShon Elliott contract: two years, very little term, almost entirely paid in guarantees. That way, the Steelers keep a quality player around for cheap while the defensive tackle gets job security for a couple years and very low risk of being cut.

What do you think about the Steelers working on negotiations with Herbig and Benton? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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