Do the Steelers need another starting safety to replace Minkah Fitzpatrick?
The Steelers traded Minkah Fitzpatrick away as part of a substantial trade package, but do they need to replace him? Of course, they need to find a way to account for the snaps he won’t be playing. Does that mean necessarily, however, that they must add somebody to their current roster to fill that specific role?
Although the Steelers saw a decline in his play the past two years—which is why they were willing to move him—Minkah Fitzpatrick a three-time All-Pro player. He is capable of picking off five-plus passes in a season, and generally being a leader on the team. What do they already have in-house that can begin to make up for what they’ve lost?
Jalen Ramsey is capable of playing safety, and in the past has even expressed interest in doing so. Juan Thornhill is also on the roster, who has 74 career starts in the NFL. He has started every game in which he has played for the past three years, but has dealt with injuries. Between Ramsey and Thornhill, and perhaps others, do the Steelers have the pieces to replace Fitzpatrick?
Or do they need to go out and add somebody like a Justin Simmons or a Julian Blackmon, someone who could potentially be a one-for-one replacement? Even if he didn’t put up the same numbers, Minkah Fitzpatrick was still capable of being a very good player for the Steelers.
But they traded him for a reason, or rather multiple reasons, one of them being money. Multiple reporters have said the Steelers felt they weren’t getting what they were paying Fitzpatrick to do, and that’s understandable. Given his lack of splash plays, and some other issues, they really weren’t. But that doesn’t mean he was no longer the same player.
Of course, that is neither here nor there, as the Steelers no longer have Fitzpatrick. What they have to concern themselves with is what they do next. They have Jalen Ramsey, but what, precisely, is their plan? Would they move him to full-time safety in a base look, and then kick him to the slot in nickel? That is one possibility, with Thornhill taking over at safety in sub-packages. But is it their best option?
The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. While they ultimately traded George Pickens, they have other decisions to make. The 2025 NFL Draft class is now behind us, so most of the roster construction is complete.
But we still have a long offseason ahead for Steelers football, or football in shorts. At least we can finally put the Aaron Rodgers situation to bed and move on to other things. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go.
