Behind the Steel Curtain
What are the Steelers getting after Monday’s blockbuster trade?
The Steelers are once again in the NFL headlines after pulling off a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins. With apologies to Mason McCormick, we’ll be pushing back his turn at “2024 in Review” for a second time due to big additions being made to the 2025 Steelers.
As always, Ryan and Ryland will divvy up the film work. This week, the division of labor is easy with the Steelers getting not one, but two new playmakers.
Ryland, why don’t you get us started?
RB: I’ve been rather lukewarm on the Steelers’ recent trade, but there’s plenty of room for cautious optimism. Jonnu Smith is a fun player in his own right, but it’s veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey who I’m most excited to see in the black and gold.
The surest path to Pittsburgh winning this trade is Ramsey balling out. Even at 30 years old, he can absolutely still play.
What stands out immediately is Ramsey’s aggression. He’ll fit right in alongside DeShon Elliott — his former teammate — in the Pittsburgh secondary. Ramsey has no fear triggering downhill to make tackles, and despite being primarily a boundary corner in 2024, he relished his opportunities near the line of scrimmage.
Ramsey was blitzed a lot in 2024, both from the outside and the slot. It’s a real asset in his game, and Ramsey shows the requisite burst and physicality to make an impact. Even though he doesn’t get home in any of the plays below, he still helps force an incompletion in each one.
Ramsey fits much better in the slot than Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay, and I assume the Steelers will want their top three cornerbacks all on the field as much as possible. If Ramsey plays there a lot in 2025, expect the nickel blitz to be a prominent feature of the Pittsburgh defense.
Another area where Ramsey surprised me was how successful he was setting the edge against the run. Again, he’s an incredibly willing and physical defender near the line of scrimmage, especially for a veteran at his position.
Ramsey’s missed tackle rate jumped to 14.3% last season, just about double his career average. It’s a mild worry — there were definitely some wrap-up attempts he’d like back — but Ramsey still came across as an above-average tackler for a defensive back. And his disruptive style of play made up for some of the misses.
Ramsey’s versatility is a hallmark of his game. He played significant snaps at both right and left outside cornerback in 2024. He logged just over 150 snaps in the slot, and although he didn’t dabble much at safety, the Dolphins would sometimes use an inverted Tampa 2 look that would have Ramsey defending a deep half. He looked comfortable playing man, zone, press, off coverage, and various coverage schemes.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was one of...
