The Miami Dolphins finally traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey on Monday, sending the former All-Pro to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ramsey becomes the latest blockbuster addition for a Steelers team that has already made headlines this offseason by acquiring Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Darius Slay.
While Pittsburgh continues to load up in hopes of a big 2025 season, the Dolphins appear headed in the opposite direction. In the deal, the two teams essentially swapped defensive backs, with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returning to Miami, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
It’s a reunion for the Dolphins and Fitzpatrick, who was originally drafted by Miami at No. 11 overall in 2018. He played one full season and two games into his second year before being traded to Pittsburgh in 2019. Now 28 and entering his eighth NFL season, the former five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro may be past his peak, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“Minkah Fitzpatrick is still a top-10 safety, but evaluators around the league have seen some decline, and trade whispers regarding his future first surfaced in March,” Fowler reported. “They’ve seen decline in Ramsey, too, but his versatility becomes valuable — he can play on the outside, nickel, or safety.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer added context earlier this month, noting that teams have started viewing Ramsey more as a safety than a traditional cornerback at this stage in his career.
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“The more people I talk to, the more I think Jalen Ramsey’s value now really is as a safety,” Breer wrote. “That, by the way, doesn’t mean he can’t play corner anymore. He can. It’s just that, at this point, if you’re bringing him in, leaning into what he still does well and planning on having him as more than a stopgap rental, then safety is likely where his future lies.”
Pelissero described the move as a “doozy” of a trade. In addition to shipping Ramsey to Pittsburgh, Miami also included tight end Jonnu Smith in the deal. The Dolphins received Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in return, sending back a 2027 seventh-rounder to the Steelers.