The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of their boldest moves in recent memory last week, acquiring Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick and swapping late-round draft picks in 2027. It’s a move that will be looked back on in a major way, whether the Steelers come out looking like the winner or not. For now, former Steelers WR Allen Robinson II likes the return the Steelers are getting.
“I think it’s a great addition,” Robinson said of Ramsey, as a guest host on ESPN’s NFL Live on Monday. “Whenever you can add a player like Jalen Ramsey into the mix, he’s very versatile in the secondary. He can play corner, he can play nickel, he can play safety. Being able to be involved in the mix when you’re going against Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase’s of the world, I think being able to have a player who can directly impact guarding them, and also blitzing, and being able to be a very physical player for them.”
Robinson and Jalen Ramsey spent the 2017 season together with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and while that was a long time ago, Robinson knows the type of player Ramsey is, so there’s some credibility to his words here. He also makes a good point.
With Ramsey now in the fold, the Steelers have a surplus of cornerbacks. Those include Darius Slay, Joey Porter Jr., and Beanie Bishop Jr. That’s not a bad problem to have, though. Especially against teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, as Robinson alludes to. Last year, the Bengals gave the Steelers’ defensive backs some problems, with Porter having arguably the worst game of his career against them. Now, Pittsburgh can defend Cincinnati’s daunting passing game with all three of its starters on the field at the same time.
Jalen Ramsey wasn’t the only addition, though. Pittsburgh also got Smith, who Robinson believes will make the offense more dynamic.
“I think it’s a phenomenal addition,” Robinson said of Smith. “Not only with just Aaron Rodgers, but also Arthur Smith. I think with those two parties really liking to have two tight end sets, I think being able to bring him in with Pat Freiermuth, I think makes their offense very dynamic.”
Pittsburgh’s offense has plenty of new faces this year. Smith makes sense, and he’s a player the Steelers were linked to long before the trade was made. Considering his history with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, it’s not surprising. Smith coached Jonnu in both Tennessee and Atlanta, so there’s plenty of familiarity there.
As Robinson points out, Smith should make the offense more dynamic. In Pittsburgh’s search for another pass-catcher, they found Smith, who can play out wide, in the backfield, and obviously at tight end. His usage in the short passing game will be valuable, especially with Rodgers not preferring to hold onto the ball too long at this point in his career.
Time will tell if the Steelers end up being the victor in this trade. For now, there are reasons to be excited. While losing Fitzpatrick is a blow to the stomach, Pittsburgh’s secondary becomes more versatile with Jalen Ramsey. On the offense, Smith will be an excellent addition. If he can repeat his 2024 production of 884 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, he essentially fixes their WR2 problem as well.
Speaking of Fitzpatrick, Robinson has high hopes for his former teammate in Miami.
“Bringing somebody in like Minkah, who’s a very good locker room and culture guy, I think may start to shape things… I think he can help establish a little bit of identity on the defensive side of the ball,” Robinson said.
For Fitzpatrick, it’s a major shock. Although the Steelers reportedly considered moving him months ago, there weren’t any sure signs that he’d be traded. Now, he heads to Miami, where he began his career. There, he’ll hope to find the same success he found over the last several years in Pittsburgh.
Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and Minkah Fitzpatrick could shape their new franchises for years to come. For now, Robinson likes the move for both sides.
