The Pittsburgh Steelers made a strong effort this offseason to improve the defensive line. This continued when the Steelers drafted Wisconsin defensive tackle Keeanu Benton in the second round. Here are our big takeaways from the pick.
Benton is more than a run stuffer
Make not mistake, Benton is a powerful guy in the middle of the line and will make the sledding tough on opposing running backs. But Benton is much more than that. He has violent hands, good counter moves and the ability to get into the backfield as well.
It puts a veteran on the roster bubble
The Steelers now have seven viable defensive linemen who can make a case to make the final 53-man roster. But Pittsburgh isn’t keeping seven guys. So which veteran won’t make the cut?
Finalizes some free agent futures
Defensive linemen Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley are both free agents who we thought might return to the team if the Steelers offseason plans didn’t work out. But the addition of Benton along with those free agency additions eliminates the need for either of them.
