The Pittsburgh Steelers are officially reporting for training camp this week. Players will be competing for spots on the depth chart and maybe even the roster as a whole. There are still a lot of questions being asked about multiple facets of the team, but most of them will be hammered out in Latrobe, PA and in preseason when the team goes back to Pittsburgh. The possibilities are always endless in late July, and that's the case here as usual.
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Steelers training camp huddle led by Mike Tomlin.
One of the many questions is how newly acquired star cornerback Jalen Ramsey fits into the team. Apparently, he doesn't even know the answer to that himself just yet.
Jalen Ramsey says he’s excited and has a lot of connections already on the Steelers. As for his role? “Uhh I’m gonna play football. We’re gonna figure that out together, huh?” pic.twitter.com/zJKcJR5KYx
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) July 23, 2025
When the Steelers traded for Ramsey, everyone's expectations for him were to be a "positionless" player in the secondary, moving around to each spot where needed. Despite rarely ever playing safety, he could see a lot of time in that role, especially since acquiring him cost the team Minkah Fitzpatrick. Of course, slot and outside corner are both options for him as well. According to Ramsey, we will all find out his role along with him.
The cornerback room is very crowded all around, as the Steelers made many moves in that regard. Darius Slay is expected to give everything he has left while playing outside corner, and Brandin Echols was signed as another versatile piece that could play either inside or outside cornerback. That's why Ramsey doesn't know his role yet: there are a lot of moving parts and only so few spots on the field on any given snap.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Brandin Echols during a drill at mandatory minicamp in 2025.
That's not even including a couple of young, hungry corners looking to improve. Joey Porter Jr. is still an absolute beast when he's in press man coverage. At his best, he can eliminate any team's top receiver, so you can't take that off the field. Meanwhile, Beanie Bishop Jr. had a solid rookie season in the slot, especially for an undrafted free agent, but now he may be fighting for a spot on the roster altogether.
The cornerback room is loaded with talent, and the safety position severely lacks depth. However, Ramsey is a cornerback first, whether it's in the slot or on the outside, so that room only becomes more crowded with his presence.
It's safe to say that Ramsey will be playing every position in the secondary during training camp to find truly where he fits best. The Steelers traded for him and fully guaranteed his 2025 salary, so they will give him every chance to prove his worth at any and all positions.
Steelers' Usual Plan With Possible Past-Prime Cornerbacks
The Steelers have had luck with taking aging veteran cornerbacks and putting them in new roles, especially as a slot/safety type. Eric Rowe was a late-season addition in 2023 and was moved to his new role in the back end, and he thrived. Patrick Peterson struggled outside, but he instantly took a step up once he was put in that spot as well. Maybe that's exactly what Ramsey needs to extend his career.
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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 still has a lot to prove, and he knows that he will have to excel at whatever position he is put at. After 2025, the Steelers can release him with no dead cap penalty at all. Anything less than a standout performance will be a huge disappointment. He will have to prove himself throughout the entire season if he wants to wear the Black and Gold for more than one year.
What do you think about Ramsey not knowing what his role will be in the Steelers' defense just yet? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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