Player: CB Jalen Ramsey
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Jalen Ramsey, if Week 1 is anything to go by, seems to be proving well worth the cost the Steelers paid to acquire him. His impact might not be quite as obvious looking at the stat sheet, but he made his mark on Sunday. While his game-clinching pass breakup highlighted his day, he played strong throughout the four quarters.
Minkah Fitzpatrick recorded eight tackles and a pass defensed in his return to the Dolphins, who sent the Steelers Jalen Ramsey in return. Ramsey didn’t post as many tackles, though cornerbacks don’t normally do. He did, however, record two big pass breakups, including the one that clinched a Week 1 win against the Jets.
The Steelers did give up 32 points in their first game with their new defense, Ramsey being the biggest addition. Suffice it to say, they have more than a little work to do. If they had last year’s offense on the field, this would very easily have been a disappointing loss. Then again, without a Steelers-record field goal from Chris Boswell, it could have been the same yesterday.
The Steelers needed a little from everybody yesterday, however, even the defense to step up when necessary. Alex Highsmith had arguably the best game on the unit, but Jalen Ramsey also made his presence felt. Garrett Wilson certainly felt it, jawing with Ramsey throughout the game before the veteran cornerback dislodged the ball on a fourth-down attempt.
Pittsburgh spent a lot to put this defense together, and the early signs are concerning. The Steelers’ blue-chip stars didn’t really sway the game. T.J. Watt made some plays, but he certainly didn’t take over against a rookie RT. You can say the same thing about Cameron Heyward, and Ramsey. But Ramsey made the necessary play at the right moment. And for that day, it was good enough.
With regular season underway and the roster in place, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
After a long offseason, we finally know what this Steelers team will look like for the 2025 season. The dust is long settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re into the real thing. What final moves might the team make, if any? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
