The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy this offseason. They have made a few interesting trades, considering their reluctance as an organization to take “big swings”. Pittsburgh just traded for Miami Dolphins’ cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith. Is this a good move? What did they send to Miami? How will it look entering the 2025-2026 season? Let’s jump straight into this trade and the outlook for the Pittsburgh Steelers!
The Trade
The Steelers are sending safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins for Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 seventh-round pick. My instant reaction, as a Steelers fan, was one of utter shock and confusion. Historically, this team has been known for drafting and developing players from within. Then, this offseason, we traded for DK Metcalf, moved on from George Pickens, and are now moving on from Fitzpatrick.
Why is this confusing to me? We have a slew of viable tight ends, including Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. The two minutes after the trade was announced, before I saw we gave up Fitzpatrick, was the honeymoon stage. We traded a player we acquired in 2019, and he was a dominant force immediately, intercepting five passes in his first seven games, including a 96-yard pick-six. He was one of the three key players who kept our defense alive, despite his statistical numbers falling off in the past two seasons.
What Does This Mean For The Steelers This Season?
This trade means they have acquired another offensive playmaker in Smith. He was one of the few bright spots in Miami last season. Smith is coming off a career year, catching 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. Last year was also his first time being selected for the Pro Bowl. This should help with the vertical game, as he is not the best run blocker. Smith also has experience in the NFL, having played for the Atlanta Falcons under Arthur Smith when he was the head coach.
To turn to Ramsey. Despite the “down season,” he was still ranked the 11th-best corner in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. He is still an above-average cornerback in the league, but this is clearly on the “Aaron Rodgers Timeline.” Trading for a great to help coach their other young star cornerback, Joey Porter Jr. This makes their DB room, Ramsey, Porter Jr., and DeShon Elliot, a well-above-average secondary.
How Does This Impact T.J. Watt?
With all the reporting that multiple teams are discussing they could make a blockbuster trade for the Steelers’ all-time sack leader, T.J. Watt, he isn’t going anywhere. Has he been holding out for a contract extension? Yes. However, I am on the side of “don’t drink the punch” when it comes to believing anything about Watt being traded. He is not going anywhere, the Steelers will give him $40-$45 million per season, and he will retire a Pittsburgh Steeler. To answer the original question, no, it doesn’t impact his holdout.
On the field, it’s different. The defensive line and the secondary have always worked in lockstep. The longer the secondary can do their job, the longer quarterbacks hold onto the ball, the more time it gives your pass rushers to get home. Trading for a tall, physical corner in Ramsey allowed the Steelers to run more “bump and run” man coverage with their length and size on the outside.
Final Thoughts
As a Steelers fan, I hate to see Fitzpatrick go. I remember trading a first-round pick for him from the Dolphins the year Ben Roethlisberger tore up his elbow. I was heated because I thought we would be bad, but he has been a staple of the defense for the past six seasons. Overall, this trade has the potential to help us on both sides of the ball and move us into the upper tier in the AFC.
As always, thank you so much for checking out my thoughts and opinions on the Steelers trading for Jalen Ramsey. Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! Thank you for making us part of your day. I look forward to speaking with you all again soon!
