The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of questions surrounding the team ahead of the 2024 season due to the number of roster changes since the 2023 season. The offense looks extremely different, while the defense has done nothing but gotten better. The additions of Patrick Queen and DeShon Elliott are certainly upgrades at their respective positions, and second-year players Joey Porter Jr., Keeanu Benton, and Nick Herbig are all expected to take big leaps in 2024.
Benton was a surprise for the Steelers during the 2023 season. The organization selected him with the 49th overall pick during the 2023 NFL Draft, and he proved he should have been picked much earlier with his play during his rookie year. Benton started just nine games during his rookie year, but is ready to take on a bigger workload. He sat down with Missi Matthews, and she asked him about how he lost weight while preparing for his second season in the NFL.
"It helped me big time in camp, you know we out there long days. A lot more running and just staying conditioned. I feel like just shedding those couple of pounds or whatever really helped me to go out there and play more snaps and I feel the difference this preseason for sure."
Benton doesn't look like he went through a major transformation, but he feels better playing in his body while he is lighter. He has played well during the preseason, and his performances throughout training camp have people excited about his development. Matthews asked Benton why he decided to lose weight before the 2024 season.
"It was just a personal decision. I was a little lighter for the combine, and then kind of put the weight back on last season thinking I needed to be bigger, need to be stronger. I realized that's not how my body works, even with the weight loss I was still strong and I was a lot faster."
The second-year player hasn't played a ton during the preseason games, but he has made an impact while on the field. He and Herbig combined for a sack against the Buffalo Bills, while Benton recorded two hits on the quarterback. He should be a force to be reckoned with in the middle of Pittsburgh’s defensive line.
Benton didn't play as much as he probably wanted to during his rookie year. He only played over 50 percent of defensive snaps four times. His workload will certainly increase in 2024. He is now better conditioned to be on the field for more snaps and longer periods of time, which will likely lead to more production for the young defender.
In limited snaps in 2023, Benton recorded just one sack, but his force as a run-stuffer was known. He tallied 36 total tackles, eight quarterback hits, two pass break ups, and two forced fumbles. He has the potential to be a serious game-wrecker for Pittsburgh moving forward. Benton is a player to watch throughout the NFL during the 2024 season, as he is expected to breakout in a big way.
Steelers’ Entire Defensive Line Had Great Training Camps
Depth pieces along the defensive line for the Steelers like DeMarvin Leal and Montravius Adams have both shown that they are ready to make an impact in 2024 as long as they can stay healthy. This is crucial, as it will allow the starting unit on the defensive line to rotate out on long drives and regain stamina. Pittsburgh has the potential to have one of the best defenses in the NFL during the 2024 season, especially within the front seven which could be dangerous for their opponents.
