The Pittsburgh Steelers shockingly traded away FS Minkah Fitzpatrick on Monday in a deal to acquire CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette added some color to Pittsburgh’s decision to move on from Fitzpatrick, writing that the “absence” of splash plays (Fitzpatrick has just one interception since 2023) led the Steelers to listen to offers.
“Steelers were not actively trying to trade Minkah Fitzpatrick, but they were willing to listen to any team who showed interest. They felt the absence of splash plays the past two years was not commensurate with what they were paying him,” Dulac wrote on Twitter.
Fitzpatrick made an instant impact for the Steelers after being acquired early in the 2019 season, picking off five passes in 14 games with the Steelers as the team stayed in playoff contention despite losing starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to a season-ending injury in Week 2. He followed that campaign with four interceptions in 2020, two in 2021, and six in 2022. But he was held without a takeaway in 2023 and only managed one interception last season.
To replace Fitzpatrick, Dulac said the Steelers plan to have Ramsey, Darius Slay, and Joey Porter Jr. on the field at all times with “few exceptions.
With the Steelers signing Fitzpatrick to a four-year extension worth up to $72,988,000 in 2022, the team clearly felt they could’ve gotten a better return on investment. His cap hit this season would’ve come out to $22,355,000 for Pittsburgh, via Over The Cap, and the lack of splash plays led the Steelers to find him expendable.
In adding Ramsey, the Steelers are getting a player who has consistently forced turnovers throughout his career, with at least two interceptions every season since 2021. He also provides versatility and gives the Steelers a lot of talent at cornerback, while also being able to play some snaps at safety.
Smith’s versatility is also an asset, and he’ll allow the Steelers to run 13 personnel more effectively. He had over 900 receiving yards last season and, along with Pat Freiermuth, gives the team another threat at tight end and another weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
The Steelers clearly felt that the combined contributions of Smith and Ramsey would outweigh what Fitzpatrick could do. Last season, Fitzpatrick said he wanted to play “Minkah Ball” and primarily played deep safety, but the splash plays and takeaways never came. With two seasons and just one interception and one forced fumble, the Steelers decided he wasn’t worth the money and moved on.
It’s a risk moving on from a player who looked like the best safety in football at one point, and there’s a real chance Minkah Fitzpatrick could recapture that success in Miami. He hasn’t shown it recently in Pittsburgh, though, and the team opted to move on because of that. If Ramsey can be a steadying presence and chess piece for the Steelers defense, then it’s a swap the team can live with.
