Behind the Steel Curtain
Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears marked a low point in the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After a big home win against the Bengals in Week 11, the Steelers dropped back down to earth in the Windy City, only scoring 21 offensive points against one of the league’s worst defenses, and allowing 31.
Now 6-5 and suddenly out of the playoff picture, the Steelers look more than ever like the middling team they’ve been for the last several years. Despite an aggressive offseason, the team is still getting the same results.
To recap, the Steelers swapped safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 seventh-round pick over the summer.
It was a move I was very lukewarm on at the time, and it’s looked worse as of late.
To be fair, the move hasn’t been catastrophic for the Steelers. Fitzpatrick has been fine for Miami, but he was the subject of more trade rumors before the deadline as his presence hasn’t done enough to boost a Dolphins team that’s currently 4-7.
But Ramsey and Smith, on the flip side, haven’t done much to elevate a Steelers team that’s once again floating just above the .500 mark.
Ramsey, to his credit, has been a good addition for the defense. He’s been an above-average starter at both safety and cornerback, and that versatility has been useful in a defensive backfield that’s needed depth at both positions this season. Ramsey has brought physicality and big plays to the secondary, and he should be able to prolong his career with a full-time switch to free safety down the road.
Smith has been more of a non-factor. His athleticism and yards after catch ability looked promising early in the season, but haven’t helped the offense much. And he remains a poor blocker for his position. If anything, there’s a good argument that many of Smith’s snaps should be going to Pat Freiermuth instead.
It’s also worth noting that neither Smith (one year older than Fitzpatrick) nor Ramsey (two years older) are surefire building blocks for the future.
Considering that Fitzpatrick hasn’t exactly returned to All-Pro form in Miami and Ramsey has been one of the better starters on the Pittsburgh defense, it’s fair to say that the Steelers certainly didn’t get a bad return on the trade.
But, considering that the deal resulted in Pittsburgh getting older as a team and failing to reach any new heights, you have to wonder if the Steelers could’ve flipped Fitzpatrick for useful draft capital. Instead, the trade might go down as a blockbuster that didn’t change much in the long run.
With some hindsight, what are your thoughts on the Steelers’ Minkah Fitzpatrick trade? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments!
