The rumor mill has been particularly active in recent days linking the Pittsburgh Steelers to Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey. As of right now, there haven’t been any credible reports to give these rumors credence. But one Steelers beat reporter thinks it’s at least feasible and worth keeping an eye on.
“I bet you they’re listening. I mean, the salary is not bad, it’s a one-year deal really, right? Because I think he has no guarantees past this year,” Kaboly said via 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show. “Now people say where do you put him? I don’t care.”
The Steelers could make it work with Ramsey in terms of cap and cash, but how much draft capital would they be willing to give up? They angled their entire offseason around maximizing their 2026 draft capital. Not to mention, they already have a starting tandem of Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay. Would Ramsey really want to come to a messy situation like that? And how would Slay react to being put into a platoon?
When asked about recent Baltimore Ravens signing Jaire Alexander, Kaboly said he didn’t hear any buzz linking him to the Steelers. Don’t you think they would have tried to pursue the free agent option that ended up signing for pretty cheap before pursuing the expensive trade option in Ramsey? Skipping over Alexander and going straight to Ramsey doesn’t make a ton of sense if the Steelers actually do want to upgrade the secondary.
With all the other uncertainty on the roster including the WR depth and the progression of the offensive line, the cornerback room has fallen under the media crosshairs over the last week or two. Some are saying it has the potential to be the weakest unit on the team. That’s ultimately where the Ramsey rumor comes into play.
“I’m not confident, absolutely not,” Kaboly said of the secondary. “I think there’s potential…that’s probably, more than offensive line, more than quarterback, is the one you gotta really, really look at. It could go south in a hurry.”
The pessimistic view of the secondary is that Joey Porter Jr. still won’t turn the corner with his penalty issues. And that 34-year old Darius Slay shows his age while Minkah Fitzpatrick continues to lack the splash plays and Beanie Bishop Jr. shows why he was undrafted last year. But there is another, more optimistic side to that coin.
Porter showed during his rookie season that he can be one of the best. Fitzpatrick hasn’t made splash plays, but he’s also been steady and an overall positive for the team. DeShon Elliott’s extension and the added continuity will only help the entire unit and their communication issues of recent years. Slay played just fine with the Eagles last year. Bishop was among the team leaders in interceptions as an undrafted rookie with a reasonable expectation of growth in year two. Not to mention, the depth is in a way better position with Cory Trice Jr., Brandin Echols, Donte Kent and Juan Thornhill.
Could the Steelers go all-in on Aaron Rodgers and trade for somebody like Jalen Ramsey? Sure, but it doesn’t make the most sense given the current depth chart and the team’s reported lack of interest in Alexander. And the current secondary has just as much potential to be a strength as it does to be a weakness. They may like their group more than the media is giving them credit for.
