This offseason has brought a ton of change for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their roster has lost several key pieces, with Minkah Fitzpatrick being the latest franchise stalwart to get traded. In return, the Steelers received Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. It’s another splash move from Omar Khan, one that Pittsburgh is likely hoping will help them compete for a Super Bowl. However, analyst Bill Barnwell isn’t convinced that this was a good deal for the Steelers.
“It feels like this is a team that is saying, ‘No, we actually believe, with these moves, we are really an all-in team for this year,'” Barnwell said recently on The Athletic Football Show. “Because a lot of those guys are not going to be back next year. They’re going to have to bring in more players to replace them. There’s not a lot of built-in replacements for some of those guys on this roster.
The Steelers haven’t been afraid to shake their team up this offseason. They lost their leading passer, rusher, and receiver from last year, and now, they’ve moved on from Fitzpatrick, who’s been a consistent presence on the backend of their defense.
However, most of their moves haven’t been in an effort to rebuild. Instead, they’ve been loading their roster up to win now. Aaron Rodgers, Darius Slay, and Ramsey are all on the wrong side of 30. Also, Rodgers and Slay are only signed to one-year deals, so they probably won’t be on the Steelers’ roster next year.
Ramsey’s deal has several years left on it, but there’s no telling what his future in Pittsburgh will look like. Additionally, Smith has one year left on his contract, too. Therefore, the players the Steelers acquired in their latest trade might not have a long-term future with them.
While the Steelers might see themselves as contenders after this trade, Barnwell doesn’t have much optimism about their Super Bowl chances.
“I don’t really understand what the Steelers think this is going to accomplish. It feels like it’s a full measure to get a half result. It feels like this is a way to ensure they get the results they had the past couple years without really improving their ceiling all that much.”
Barnwell’s skepticism isn’t unwarranted. Over the past few seasons, the Steelers have been stuck in place. While they’ve been good enough to fight for a playoff spot, they haven’t been a threat in the postseason. This move might not change that.
Ramsey and Smith are both great players, but there’s no telling what they’ll provide the Steelers with. Smith provides them with another offensive weapon, but they already had a crowded tight end room. Wide receiver felt like a bigger need for Pittsburgh’s offense.
Meanwhile, Ramsey hasn’t looked as dominant recently, and the Steelers weren’t in desperate need of a corner. Now, without Fitzpatrick, they’ve got a glaring hole at safety. Perhaps Ramsey will switch to that position to fill that role, but that’s unclear right now.
This trade gives the Steelers two talented players, but it still might not be enough to get them over the hump. Their roster still has flaws, and Aaron Rodgers remains a massive question mark. If Pittsburgh gets poor quarterback play again, the addition of players like Ramsey and Smith might not matter.
