By A to Z Sports John Sheeran
Why the Steelers traded Minkah Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey
Ramsey and Fitzpatrick have each lived off reputation to some degree for the last few years. Ramsey used to be one of the best pure cornerbacks in the game and has three All-Pro honors to prove it. Fitzpatrick has the same number next to his name and has played in two fewer seasons. The players they are now are not who they were even two years ago. Specifically with Fitzpatrick, his production has dropped over the last two years, and the Steelers having a specific defensive need spurred them to use this to their advantage.
As explained by A to Z Sports Steelers beat writer Rob Gregson, Pittsburgh envisions Ramsey as a solution to its weakness at nickel-back, or slot corner, as the position has been a liability since none other than Mike Hilton left the Steelers for Cincinnati in 2021.
On the surface, the Jalen Ramsey trade seems odd. Why would the Steelers trade one of the best safeties of his generation for a player who primarily plays outside corner when they already have Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay in said role? Sources tell A to Z Sports months ago that Pittsburgh desperately wanted to upgrade their slot corner or nickel position. It hasn’t been the same since, well, Mike Hilton left for the Bengals. — A to Z Sports’ Rob Gregson
Hilton was Pittsburgh’s weapon in the slot from 2017-20 and watched his career grow even more after four years in the same role with the Bengals. His signing was one of many key additions that directly sparked Cincinnati’s magical 2021 campaign that nearly ended in the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. In all honesty, he’s one of the best free agent signings in the history of the club.
The Bengals allowing a starter leave and using a plethora of resources to replace him is far too common of a practice in Cincinnati. That the Steelers of all clubs suffered this same fate because of the Bengals is quite the inverse.
Ramsey, who’s turning 31 this October, has never been a full-time slot corner. The Los Angeles Rams would move him inside periodically from 2021-23, but he’s mostly known the boundary. He’ll need to be prepared for more in Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati will need to expect this as well.