Steelers Now
An anonymous NFL general manager ripped the Pittsburgh Steelers for trading All-Pro free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith. The deal will go down as one of the biggest in team history. The Steelers also acquired a 2027 seventh-round draft pick and the Dolphins got a 2027 fifth-round draft pick in the trade.
The unnamed NFL GM told Eric Williams of FOX Sports that Pittsburgh’s move was, “just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”
The longtime NFL personnel decision questioned the Steelers taking on the majority of Ramsey’s remaining salary, which is substantial given his three-year, $72.1 million extension signed before the 2024 season. Considering his age and the prickly personality, the GM thinks the Steelers are playing with fire.
“Ramsey at safety is intriguing to me, but not at that money,” the GM told Williams. “He i s still a starting corner but again, his performance will not equal his pay.”
“(Minkah) Fitzpatrick is a better safety — younger, cheaper and less drama,” he added. “I give Miami kudos for rectifying a mistake contract extension from a year ago.”
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed that trading Fitzpatrick was not a big priority for the Steelers this offseason, but they were not pleased with the lack of splash plays.
“Steelers were not actively trying to trade Minkah Fitzpatrick, but they were willing to listen to any team who showed interest,” Dulac posted on X. “They felt the absence of splash plays the past two years was not commensurate with what they were paying him.”
Fitzpatrick had six interceptions in 2022 (tied for first in the NFL) and had 11 over his first three seasons in Pittsburgh. He also had three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries from 2019-21. Over his first four seasons, he had 24 splash plays over 51 games.
Over the last two seasons, he had just one interception, no forced fumbles and no fumble recoveries over 27 games.
Ramsey, 30, has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL over the last decade. He is a three-time first-team All-Pro in 2017, 2020 and 2021, and a seven-time Pro Bowler from 2017-23. He won Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams after the 2021 season.
Initially drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Florida State, Ramsey has now been traded three times, first to the Rams in 2019, then to the Dolphins in 2023 and now to the Steelers.
Ramsey was traded to the Dolphins in 2023, and signed a three-year contact extension with the team in September 2024, but this spring both Ramsey and the team mutually agreed to part ways. The Dolphins needed to wait until after June 1 to make a trade.
Smith had been subject to trade talks since it was reported that he wanted a new deal coming off the best season of his eight-year...
