Fans wanted the Pittsburgh Steelers to start doing things differently. Whether they approve of the moves made by Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin or not, they’ve gotten their wish. The latest surprising big move came earlier this week when Pittsburgh sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. According to Brian Baldinger, the Steelers won that trade.
“I feel like the Steelers won this trade,” Baldinger said on The Best Football Show on Tuesday. “However, the combination you have. Jalen [Ramsey] can play the star position inside. You think about [Darius] Slay can play the left corner, Joey Porter can play the right corner, Beanie [Bishop] can be, you know, their fourth corner if needed… I think the Steelers got a lot better in the secondary.”
It will be interesting to see how the Steelers work all their cornerbacks in, but it’s a good problem to have. Pittsburgh had a solid duo in Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay already, with Beanie Bishop Jr. holding down nickel corner before the move. Now, they might have to play some musical chairs. But with Jalen Ramsey able to play at all of those positions, it shouldn’t be too hard.
Things could get more complicated if Ramsey ends up spending time at safety. It’s a spot that certainly got weaker with Fitzpatrick leaving, although DeShon Elliott and Juan Thornhill could form a good duo together. With Ramsey turning 31 this year, potentially moving to safety is something he’ll have to think about. It’s a move many corners make as they age in hopes of extending their careers, but it’s not easy to do. Considering Ramsey’s age and the bigger need at safety with Fitzpatrick gone, it has to be considered.
For what it’s worth, Baldinger didn’t think the Steelers were getting especially good safety play with Fitzpatrick anyway.
“He’s been a great player,” Baldinger said of Fitzpatrick. “But honestly, he’s got one takeaway in the last two years. It’s one of the reasons why Pittsburgh was willing to ship him out. I mean, he was a face of this Steelers’ franchise for sure… Let’s face it. Pittsburgh, their best safety last year was DeShon Elliott.”
Baldinger’s praise for Elliott isn’t new, as he made a similar remark earlier this week shortly after the trade. But he does have a decent point regarding him. While it may be a stretch to claim Elliott’s a better overall player right now than Fitzpatrick, he does many things well.
Elliott is especially good against the run, which will be crucial if Jalen Ramsey ends up playing safety. Ramsey is great in coverage and isn’t scared of contact. However, he missed 14.3 percent of his tackle attempts in 2024, a career-high. Thornhill had success with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in his career, but didn’t play well with the Cleveland Browns last year. Elliott’s strength in run defense could help mask some of those issues for Ramsey and Thornhill.
We’ll have to wait and find out whether the Steelers truly win the trade. For now, there is reason to believe they got better in the secondary, as Baldinger suggests. Jalen Ramsey brings better pass defense than Fitzpatrick and is more positionally versatile. If he can make the transition to safety, Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin will have a world of possibilities on their hands defensively.
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