Bad News Lingers For Steelers After Trading Starting Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick

It was expected for the majority of the 2025 offseason that the Pittsburgh Steelers would make some kind of move to bolster the cornerback unit behind Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay. No one, however, saw the blockbuster trade coming that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick packing and back to the Miami Dolphins. Jalen Ramsey will now play in the Steel City (along with Jonnu Smith) after a very surprising late-June trade between the two organizations. The deal left the Steelers with DeShon Elliott as the top safety, with newcomer Juan Thornhill currently slotted to step into a starting role as training camp inches closer.

There has already been a lot of talk regarding Ramsey potentially playing some kind of hybrid role. Many believe he could take snaps on the outside, in the slot, and at the safety position. That doesn't change the fact that the Steelers really only have two legitimate natural safeties with experience on the depth chart after the trade of Fitzpatrick (outside of special teams ace Miles Killebrew). It will be fascinating to see how everything shakes out ahead of the regular season.

Thornhill is an interesting individual to keep an eye on. He signed a one-year deal in Pittsburgh after having a rough 2024 campaign with the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter, Ray Fittipaldo, joined The PM Team w/Poni & Mueller on Tuesday, and shared a very concerning reality about the 29-year-old in Thornhill.

"The bottom line is, guys, I don't know if he is a starting-caliber free safety at this point in his career, and I think that's why there's a lot of talk about Jalen Ramsey eventually fitting into that role," Fittipaldo said. 

If the coaching staff does in fact believe in Thornhill, Fittipaldo still isn't sold on the idea that the roster can remain as is. The reporter believes that it is essential to bring in another body to act as another true option.

"I think even if they do use Thornhill as a guy that can start, you probably want to get someone behind him who could push him or be a pretty good backup," Fittipaldo noted.

There are some free agents that General Manager Omar Khan could already have his eyes on, which will be something to watch out for in the coming weeks. The Steelers' front office has been incredibly aggressive throughout the 2025 offseason, so there's no reason to believe that the franchise is going to stop bettering the roster now.

Another potential issue with the current safety depth is the reality of professional football: injuries. If Pittsburgh decided not to bolster the unit, one player going down for multiple weeks would be a massive loss. While Ramsey could be expected to play the position from time to time, the Steelers still likely need one more formidable defender that has plenty of experience on the backend of the defense.

As it stands with training camp starting up soon, Elliott and Thornhill are expected to be the starting safeties. That could change any day now, especially if the team's decision-makers agree with Fittipaldo's analysis. The last thing the organization would want to do is trade an All-Pro in Fitzpatrick, only to have serious holes left after his departure. Fans can expect that there is a plan in place, and that it will be executed relatively soon.

Steelers Continue To Completely Change Dynamic Of Roster Entering 2025 Training Camp

Fitzpatrick was one of Pittsburgh's most important defensive leaders, but that did not matter one bit when the opportunity arose to trade him. Time will tell if it was the right move or not, but it surely did come as a shock to many fans. Elliott and Thornhill will be asked to carry the load for now, potentially with the occasional appearance from Ramsey, but no one should be surprised if Khan makes another big move to bolster the secondary.

Do you think that the Steelers are trusting Thornhill to start in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!

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