Purchase Or Promote: Steelers Protection Not Higher With Jalen Ramsey Over Minkah Fitzpatrick

Buy or Sell: The Steelers’ defense is not better with Jalen Ramsey over Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Explanation: While the Steelers added Jalen Ramsey to the defense, they also subtracted Minkah Fitzpatrick a nucleus of the unit. Although the last two years have not been his best, he hasn’t forgotten how to play football. Then again, neither has Ramsey, but who is going to play Fitzpatrick’s role at safety?

Buy:

While everybody gets on former Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick for his lack of splash plays the past two years, it only tells a part of the story. Even merely looking at subjective coverage stats is just a piece of the puzzle. It’s really hard to ascertain the influence a free safety could have on a defense. Just look back to last year’s comments by Arthur Smith about how they avoided Jessie Bates III. Teams did that with Fitzpatrick, but it’s easier to avoid a cornerback like Jalen Ramsey.

The Steelers also don’t have an obvious replacement for Fitzpatrick, but they had cornerbacks, even if not Ramsey. Then again, even Ramsey may not be Ramsey at this stage of his career soon to turn 31. And if they expect him to move to safety, why do they think that would improve communication? A new team and a new position—that doesn’t sound like a recipe for success.

Sell:

While reports of Minkah Fitzpatrick being behind the Steelers’ communication woes appear to be a myth, it is possible he has lost half a step and is failing to make plays his body and brain expect him to make. While cornerback is more physically demanding, there are more straightforward and immediate mitigation tools. As Jalen Ramsey gets older, he adapts his coverage style. That’s harder to judge when you’re playing 20 yards deep.

Besides, Juan Thornhill is a capable starting safety, and the Steelers want to use Ramsey there, too, I imagine. Maybe a combination of the two take over Fitzpatrick’s role in the Steelers’ defense. But in the meantime, they massively upgrade the cornerback depth. And it also provides Joey Porter Jr. another mentor, which isn’t a bad bonus.

The Steelers are building toward the 2025 season, following yet another disappointing year. While they reached the playoffs, they once again lost decisively in the first round. They are facing questions, both publicly, and perhaps privately as well. Questions about The Standard, and what the Steelers stand for.

The rookie class of a year ago was successful, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2025. And they need everyone healthy to do it, not an insignificant consideration. They needed a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in the 2025 NFL draft yet again.

These sorts of uncertainties are what we will address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, we will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).