Behind the Steel Curtain
Minkah Fitzpatrick is back in Miami. What will the Steelers defense look like without the three-time All-Pro?
In a blockbuster Monday trade, the Steelers sent safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith, and a late-round pick swap.
Ramsey and Fitzpatrick, although both are at or near the end of their prime, are among the best defensive backs of their era. However, they’re different players and not a one-to-one swap in the Pittsburgh secondary.
Ramsey has played cornerback his entire NFL career, and Fitzpatrick, safety. In the upcoming season, how will the Steelers replace what Fitzpatrick brought to the Pittsburgh defense?
An under-the-radar free agent signing in the spring, Thornhill is now one of the biggest names to watch at Steelers training camp. The veteran isn’t a projected third safety anymore — he might be the team’s de facto starter at free safety.
How comparable is Thornhill to Fitzpatrick? They’re definitely not the same quality of player — there’s a reason why the former signed for just $3 million and an expected backup gig in free agency — but their usage was similar last season.
The Browns, like the Steelers, were a primarily single-high safety team in 2024, and Thornhill operated in a Fitzpatrick-esque role in the Cleveland secondary.
Thornhill isn’t on Fitzpatrick’s level. He’s less fluid and athletic in coverage, and his missed tackle rate last season (9.3%) was over double Fitzpatrick’s (4%). Thornhill’s passer rating allowed in 2024, 141.7 (a career worst), also compares poorly to Fitzpatrick’s 127.6 (also a career worst).
But coverage statistics, especially at safety, never tell the whole story. On film, Thornhill looks the part of a capable, although imperfect, defender. He has some splash to his game, too, with a penchant for laying out big hits over the middle of the field.
Ironically, while Fitzpatrick’s declining interception numbers (just one over the last two seasons) were often the first piece of evidence when discussing his regression, Thornhill has zero takeaways over that same span.
However, Thornhill has started 74 of his 87 career NFL games, and he still looks the part of a starting-level defender. With an intriguing cornerback room around him and a talented pass-rush in front of him, he should have plenty of help in 2025. He’s a clear frontrunner for the Steelers’ starting free safety job entering training camp.
The Steelers traded for Ramsey and will be paying him a lot of money in 2025. He’ll be on the field a lot.
The question is, where?
Ramsey, as mentioned earlier, has been listed at cornerback his entire NFL career. But during his college career at Florida State, he saw some “star” and safety duties along with his snaps on the boundary. He’s a versatile talent, which appears to be one of the top reasons Pittsburgh traded for the former top-five pick.
Per NFL Pro, Ramsey played just eight snaps last season when aligned as a...
