NFL Trade Rumors
On Monday morning, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins shocked the NFL world with a rare summer blockbuster trade. Former Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey heads to Pittsburgh alongside TE Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for S Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
If that wasn’t enough, the Dolphins kept the party going on Tuesday morning, trading for formerly-retired Giants TE Darren Waller to replace Smith. Miami is sending New York a 2026 sixth-rounder for Waller and a conditional 2027 seventh. It’s a wild AFC shake-up that rarely happens in late June and early July.
Ramsey has been on the trade block for some time, with both he and the Dolphins releasing statements before the draft that signalled the end of his time in Miami. He was frequently connected to the Rams, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring in 2022, but the finances were a major sticking point. Los Angeles was interested in a reunion with Ramsey, but they wanted Miami to pay a significant chunk of his salary in 2025. In more recent weeks, the Steelers emerged as a contender for Ramsey, though his base salary remained a contentious issue.
To that point, the Dolphins are paying $3 million of Ramsey’s salary to facilitate the trade, in addition to the $4 million roster bonus they already paid at the beginning of the league year. That leaves $19.6 million in salary on the books for the Steelers, including a $1.5 million raise they gave him as part of the deal.
For Smith, it’s a reunion with Steelers OC Arthur Smith, who is a big fan of the veteran tight end dating back to their shared time with the Titans and Falcons. Smith received a one-year, $12 million extension with the Steelers, putting him under contract for two years and giving the Steelers another weapon for newly signed QB Aaron Rodgers. They got their guy in Smith.
For Fitzpatrick, it’s a homecoming. He spent the first year-plus of his career in Miami before heading to Pittsburgh in a trade early in the 2019 season. He’s been one of the stars of the Steelers defense ever since, and now he’ll get to fortify a struggling Dolphins unit. Of course, trading Smith left a hole at tight end in Miami, and that’s where Waller comes in. He retired with the Giants last summer after an injury-riddled stint in New York, but will now attempt to revitalize his career in a much friendlier offensive environment.
This trade is a coup for the Dolphins in more ways than one. Let’s start with the obvious: Fitzpatrick is a stud. Over the last three seasons, he’s had 256 tackles and seven interceptions with PFF grades of 84.1, 74.1 and 65.2, respectively. He’s been one of the best safeties in the league over that span and consistently one of the best players on the Steelers’ defense. Getting him in return for Ramsey is an incredible deal.
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