Steelers Now
A lot about the upcoming season will be different for Jalen Ramsey. Different city, different jersey colors and — most importantly — different roles within the Pittsburgh Steelers defense.
At his previous stops, the three-time first-team Associated Press All-Pro has been needed at cornerback, covering the opposition’s biggest receiving weapon. With Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay alongside him in the Steelers’ secondary, Ramsey will have much more runway to be more of a chess piece.
“I’ve always wanted to be able to move around and kind of be in a game plan, really,” Ramsey said Tuesday on “The Pivot Podcast.” “At corner, it gets boring after a while.”
Roaming was a big talking point for Ramsey as Steelers general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin acquired him from the Miami Dolphins in June. With Porter and Slay manning the outside, Ramsey envisioned himself wearing multiple hats.
“I know what I can do versatility-wise — in the nickel, at safety if you ask me to, outside matchups, whatever,” Ramsey said. “The conversation we had really had me excited for the possibilities that we could see on the field, even if it’s playing a position that I haven’t played yet in the league. … I’m excited to be able to — potentially — do a number of things this year.”
Tomlin said he’s been “blown away” by Ramsey’s versatility and football knowledge earlier this week on the same podcast. Even as he cycles through different spots in the secondary, Ramsey’s communication with his teammates doesn’t suffer. If training camp is any indication, Ramsey won’t allow Steelers fans the chance to miss Minkah Fitzpatrick, who he was swapped for.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers’ Jalen Ramsey Explains Desire to Roam: Corner ‘Gets Boring After a While’
