By Abdullah Imran
Former NFL All-Pro cornerback and two-time Super Bowl champion Asante Samuel Sr. has publicly slammed the Miami Dolphins鈥 decision to trade star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers also received a 2027 seventh-round draft pick, while the Dolphins received a 2027 fifth-round pick.
On the Say What Needs To Be Said podcast, Samuel didn鈥檛 hold back in his criticism of Miami鈥檚 front office, stating:
鈥淚f the Steelers鈥 defense was ranked 12th in total defense, with almost no production from Minkah Fitzpatrick last season, I know, and I guarantee, Jalen Ramsey will make this defense a better defense. And the Dolphins had no reason to trade Jalen Ramsey, other than that they were sensitive. There鈥檚 no leadership in the Dolphins organization. Mike McDaniels is a pushover. Chris Greer, the general manager, has no backbone. These guys over here, the Miami Dolphins, they are running this team like a little league team. To me, it doesn鈥檛 make sense. Because [the Dolphins] traded for another safety, when Jalen Ramsey could easily be moved to safety and be way more productive than the person you just traded for.鈥
Samuel argued that Miami should have considered transitioning Ramsey to safety rather than moving on from one of the NFL鈥檚 premier cornerbacks.
Jalen Ramsey, 30, has earned seven Pro Bowl selections (2017鈥2023) and has been named First-Team All-Pro three times (2017, 2020, 2021). Originally drafted fifth overall in 2016 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ramsey has now been traded three times, to the Rams in 2019, Dolphins in 2023, and now to the Steelers. He won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams following the 2021 season. In 2024, he signed a three-year extension with Miami, but both sides agreed to part ways in the spring of 2025.
NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger supported Samuel鈥檚 opinion, stating on The Best Football Show:
鈥淚 feel like the Steelers won this trade. However, the combination you have. Jalen Ramsey can play the star position inside. You think about [Darius] Slay can play the left corner, Joey Porter can play the right corner, Beanie can be, you know, their fourth corner if needed. I think the Steelers got a lot better in the secondary.鈥
ESPN鈥檚 Jeremy Fowler offered additional insight into the Steelers鈥 motivation behind the move, saying on Get Up:
鈥淭his is a case-by-case situation where a player like Jalen Ramsey happened to be available where they feel like he gives them more flexibility than what they had with Minkah Fitzpatrick. He can play slot cornerback, can play safety, if you need him to do that. They see shades of Rod Woodson.鈥
Fowler referenced Woodson鈥檚 successful career switch from corner to safety, a transition that some believe Ramsey could also make. In fact, Ramsey himself stated in 2021:
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have any problems moving to safety.鈥
Ramsey鈥檚 versatility allows Pittsburgh to field a stacked secondary featuring Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, and now the veteran All-Pro. His departure from Miami came after months of speculation, but the return has drawn widespread criticism due to Fitzpatrick鈥檚 underwhelming 2024 campaign.
The Steelers look ready to make a strong playoff run in 2025 after landing big names like wide receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Meanwhile, the Dolphins are taking a lot of heat, with many calling their recent moves a major blunder.