Steelers Happy Keeping Keeanu Benton Along Interior, Not Defensive End

For Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, aligning Keeanu Benton between the two guards is his sweet spot. Though Benton has the size and some experience playing defensive end, the spots where Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi align in the team’s base 3-4 front, Dunbar doesn’t have a desire to shift Benton out.

Speaking to reporters during last week’s mandatory minicamp, Dunbar had a fun back-and-forth with a reporter while sticking to his guns about playing Benton as a one- and three-technique. Not a four- or five-type.

“He’s gonna play inside, man,” Dunbar said via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette when asked about shifting Benton around. “He can play four-technique because when Cam’s got hurt last year, yeah, he played 4i. But if you can get a position player to play one position and let him specialize, it helps the team.”

Benton did his best work up the middle as a nose tackle last year. Taking over as the starter after Montravius Adams got hurt midseason, Benton didn’t look back and stayed atop the depth chart the rest of the season. While his box-score numbers might look light, one sack and one tackle for a loss, he consistently got pressure up the A-gaps that made life tough on centers and quarterbacks.

According to our charting, Keeanu Benton tied Ogunjobi for the Steelers’ defensive line lead with 16 pressures. But Benton made an impact on far fewer chances, nearly doubling Ogunjobi’s pressure rate, 27.4 versus 15.3.

As Dunbar said, Benton kicked out and saw some snaps at 4i/5-tech while Heyward was shelved with his groin injury. Again per our charting, Benton played 22 snaps as a right defensive end across Weeks 2-8. From Weeks 9 through the Wild Card loss, he played only six.

“I think him playing a zero nose and being able to play a three-technique or a two-technique when we go sub is going to be great because he showed the ability to rush over the guards,” Dunbar said. “Don’t wanna put him on tackles because that’s not what he does.”

On paper, Benton has the correct size profile for a base end. Coming out of Wisconsin, he checked in at 6036, 309 pounds with 33 7/8-inch arms. While he looks the part, Benton is a little heavy and lacks the ideal foot speed to play on the edges against tackles. And to Dunbar’s point, his success overwhelming guards and centers with his club/over move shows Benton is best up the middle.

“Why put him [at Heyward’s spot] when he’s doing great at nose?” Dunbar asked.

While some have speculated Benton could be the eventual replacement for Heyward at defensive end, that doesn’t seem to be the team’s plan. Heyward’s eventual heir is almost certainly playing in college right now. Benton can be a stud Steelers nose tackle. Just not their answer at defensive end.