The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an aggressive offseason in 2025, and that continued when the organization went out and landed star cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins. Pittsburgh was also able to acquire Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith from Miami, while sending away Minkah Fitzpatrick and completing a pick swap in the 2027 NFL Draft. While the draft picks and Smith are important parts of the deal, many fans have just been focusing on the switch in the secondary. Fitzpatrick's play has been declining, while Ramsey is 30 years old.
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Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey smiling on the sidelines while a member of the Miami Dolphins.
The trade was arguably the biggest deal in the NFL during the 2025 offseason, and Pittsburgh had found itself in some other notable trades. Most of the discussion since the deal was made has been surrounding where Ramsey is going to play on defense for Pittsburgh as the team already has Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay lining up on the outside. Ramsey's versatility has been praised, as he he can reportedly play both the nickel and safety.
ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler ranked the top ten cornerbacks in the NFL based on what he has heard from scouts and executives around the league, and Ramsey was just outside the top ten. Fowler cited that age and physical abilities are a concern.
"Pittsburgh is expected to use Ramsey all over, with slot corner or safety functionality on the inside, similar to Rod Woodson's transition into Pittsburgh's defense over 25 years ago," Fowler wrote. "Some coaches still see a shutdown corner on the outside, but many evaluators don't share that sentiment. 'Still a good starter, but is in physical decline,'" an AFC executive said. "You could make the argument he's still top 10, but he's just outside of it for me,' added another AFC evaluator. 'In my opinion, he's better in the nickel or with specialty roles at this stage.'"
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Former Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey yells emphatically as he runs on the field prior to a professional football game being played on the road.
Ramsey is undoubtedly a future Hall of Famer, but his resume will only grow if he can find a way to continue his success with the Steelers. He didn't have his best season with the Dolphins in 2024, but he managed to stay on the field for all 17 games while picking off two passes. His play should only get better while joining the already stacked defense that is rostered in Pittsburgh.
Steelers' Jalen Ramsey Can Still Be A Top Cornerback
While Ramsey is getting older and his physical skills may be declining, he should still be considered a top cornerback in the league, especially if he is as versatile as has been reported in 2025. If he can make an impact in the slot, at safety, and even on the outside, then there is no doubt that he deserves to be ranked higher on this list from Fowler.
"Ramsey's trade to Pittsburgh should bolster his Hall of Fame track at age 30. 'He had a down year last year, but he still had flashes of being the gold standard at corner,' an NFL personnel director said. 'His mix of athletic ability/fluidity, speed and movement skills at that size is rare. He can play man or zone coverage, can play inside as a nickel and has the ability to move to free safety if he wanted to.'"
The NFL world is split on what to expect from Ramsey going into the 2025 season, but it sounds like he has a good amount of doubters going into the year.
Al Diaz / Miami Herald
Former Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey celebrating a game-winning INT at Hard Rock Stadium.
He has been a superstar since entering the league, and that is not going to just all of the sudden change because he is on the wrong side of 30.
What do you think of these quotes regarding Ramsey? Let us know in the comments below!
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