Steelers Rumors: Keeanu Benton drawing comps to be next Javon Hargrave
There's no question that the first of two second-round picks made by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Joey Porter Jr. with the No. 32 pick sent in the Chase Claypool trade, has gotten far more publicity than the team's other second-round selection, taking Wisconsin defensive lineman Keeanu Benton with their own pick at No. 49.
Having said that, Benton could have every bit as big of an impact as the legacy rookie — and perhaps even more so.
Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review dove into Benton's impact as a player who Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has already affirmed will take over at nose tackle as the starter, a role held by Montravius Adams in 2022 and that needed an upgrade thereafter. And in doing so, there were comparsions made to Javon Hargrave, the former Steeler who is now with the 49ers after signing a monster deal this offseason.
The comparison comes from the fact that the two players, despite massive frames and playing a position largely known for being a plug against the run, who are special because of a unique ability to rush the passer from the nose or 1-tech.
Hargrave was also a Day 2 pick, selected in the third round in 2016. But with Benton's blend of size, power and burst on the interior, the Steelers are certainly hoping they got tremendous value in finding a player who can have a similarly dominant impact in the trenches, if not immediately than soon.
Steelers Rumors: Newcomer Isaac Seumalo getting major hype from Jason Kelce
Early in free agency, it's fair to say that the Steelers weren't particularly active, at least at the top of the market. One of their biggest moves, however, was to fortify a shaky offensive line by signing veteran guard Isaac Seumalo, formerly of the Eagles down the Turnpike, to a three-year, $24 million contract.
While Seumalo certainly represented an upgrade for the Pittsburgh offensive line given the issues that the team experienced in the trenches a season ago, there were some who were critical of the move in saying that it might not have been worht the price for a relatively modest upgrade.
If you ask former Eagles teammate Jason Kelce, though, the Steelers got an absolute stud in their newcomer.
Recently when being asked by the media after team activities about how Philadelphia would replace Seumalo, Kelce called the newest Steelers "one of the best guards in the NFL", believing that his performance has backed that up. He also praised the 29-year-old's smarts at the position in addition to his consistency, per Behind the Steel Curtain. In punny fashion, he added that the Steelers were "getting a steal".
Seumalo has graded out as one of the best pass-blockers in the league over the past three seasons, though injuries limited him in 2021 to just a handful of games. More importantly, though, he's shown improvement in the run game.
For a Pittsburgh O-line that struggled to give Kenny Pickett time, though, it's tremendous to see that they identified wisely a player who can offer an upgrade. And to have someone like Kelce, one of the elite players of the past decade on the offensive line, back that up is a strong vote of confidence.
Steelers Rumors: Omar Kahn indicates clearly Alex Highsmith deal will get done
The next big contract extension that the Pittsburgh Steelers hand out is almost surely going to be to edge rusher Alex Highsmith. The 2020 third-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie deal and the discussion about locking him up so he never sniffs free agency has been ruminating throughout the organization all offseason.
Yet, no deal is in place. However, Steelers general manager Omar Khan was recently asked about the situation during an appearance with 93.7 The Fan. And while Khan wasn't willing to divulge anything specific about talks with Highsmith, the tone of his comments appeared to make it clear that he and Pittsburgh have no intention of letting him leave and that a deal will get done.
"We don't like to talk specifically about an individual contract, but I'll say this: He's a Steeler," Khan said, via Steelers Wire. "Since the day he got here, he's been awesome. He gets better and better every year, and I really hope Alex is here for a long time."
After flashing in his first two seasons with the Steelers, Highsmith burst onto the scene in a bigger role in 2022, accruing 14.5 sacks and five forced fumbles on the year. Considering that he was a raw developmentlal prospect out of Charlotte, though, he's been right on track in terms of what he's given to the black and gold.
Many of the franchise's offseason moves to clear salary cap room have seemingly been done with the future of Highsmith in mind and, with the way Khan is talking, fans shouldn't be thinking about if the Steelers lock him up but, rather, when are they going to lock him up.
