While Cameron Heyward is happy to welcome Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith, saying goodbye to Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t so easy. The Steelers captain talked about that yesterday on his Not Just Football podcast, describing it as shocking. Having spent the past five years playing together, you build relationships on and off the field. But it’s a business, and he also shared his thoughts on his new business partners.
“The great thing about Jalen, though, is he is ball-savvy”, Heyward said of Ramsey, who came over along with Jonnu Smith as part of the trade that sent Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins. “He is able to play multiple positions. You’ve seen him play safety, you’ve seen him play corner, you’ve seen him play nickel. He provides that flexibility in the defense”.
Ramsey will be a starter for the Steelers’ defense, but what about Jonnu Smith on offense? They already had Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington at tight end, plus Connor Heyward. How do they fit in, perhaps especially Cameron’s little brother at risk of becoming an afterthought?
“A lot of guys in that position, including my brother. I think all of them can eat in different ways. I think the main thing is having an offense that stays on the field”, Heyward said. “If you stay on the field, everybody eats. Conner [Heyward] can play multiple positions. Jonnu [Smith] can play tight end and he can play fullback as well. Those two become interchangeable a little bit”.
The thing is, Jonnu Smith was a Pro Bowler last year, and Jalen Ramsey has many such accolades behind him. Neither are spring chickens, but they can help Heyward and the Steelers now. They obviously acquired them via trade for a reason, but how to use them, that’s still a work in progress.
Trading Fitzpatrick opened a hole at safety. Perhaps the Steelers think Jalen Ramsey can fill it, and they know Arthur Smith can work with Jonnu Smith. He has played for Smith in multiple places in the past, so that’s nothing new.
But they will displace people from the roster. Now, the Steelers carried four tight ends last year, and Heyward was among them. Smith is bad news for JJ Galbreath, though, certainly, and Jalen Ramsey does no favors to D’Shawn Jamison. They are not exactly building a roster primed to accommodate “sleepers” by stocking up on veterans.
Like us, Heyward found out about the Steelers trading for Ramsey and Smith when we did. But he also found out about the team trading Fitzpatrick as part of that in the same fashion. It’s tough to find out your friends are losing their job in your workplace indirectly.
But business is business, and the Steelers think Ramsey and Smith will help them win this year. That’s one goal Heyward can get behind. He has only been on the field for one playoff win since they drafted him in 2011, so he’d certainly like to see that change.
