The Pittsburgh Steelers have made another headline offseason move, trading for Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey Monday morning. That move spurred so much more than just adding Ramsey, too. Pittsburgh also landed TE Jonnu Smith and traded away FS Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The full trade details of the deal are now known. Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, here’s the full compensation on both sides.
Steelers Receive
CB/S Jalen Ramsey
TE Jonnu Smith
2027 7th Round Pick
Dolphins Receive
FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
2027 5th Round Pick
The Steelers were one of two teams interested in Ramsey, joining the Los Angeles Rams in pursuit of getting a deal done. Ramsey’s large contract was a complicating factor, something Rams’ head coach Sean McVay openly admitted, but Pittsburgh was able to get the deal done.
A seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Ramsey may no longer be an elite cornerback but can still play at a high level. Starting 17 games for the Dolphins last season, he recorded 60 tackles with two interceptions and one sack. He also racked up six tackles for a loss, showing an ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage.
In his nine-year NFL career, Ramsey has appeared in 135 games, starting all but one of those contests. He’s recorded 24 interceptions and broken up 108 passes. He’s the latest marquee defensive addition in an offseason where the Steelers have spent plenty of attention improving that side of the ball. Though Pittsburgh added QB Aaron Rodgers and WR DK Metcalf offensively, the draft centered around the defense, starting with first-round DL Derrick Harmon while free agency brought in the likes of CB Darius Slay on a one-year, $10 million deal.
With Fitzpatrick returning to Miami as part of the deal, it’s not clear if Ramsey will continue playing cornerback or will move Ramsey to safety to replace Fitzpatrick’s role at free safety. If not, Pittsburgh’s succession plan for Fitzpatrick is unknown.
Smith has been rumored in talks with Pittsburgh for weeks following a contract dispute with the Miami Dolphins. Strongly connected with Steelers’ offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the two worked together in Tennessee for several seasons while Arthur Smith’s Atlanta Falcons traded for him ahead of the 2023 season.
Overall, this trade between the Steelers and Dolphins is not just one of the craziest in each franchise’s history, but in NFL history.
