The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have a very interesting rotation at the cornerback position. Even though they had three established starters in Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, and Beanie Bishop Jr., they still went out and traded for Jalen Ramsey, who can play inside, outside, or even safety. The expectation coming into training camp was that he would rotate throughout all of those positions, playing the role that was most needed depending on the situation.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey (5) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
However, it recently came out that Ramsey would be cornerback #1, as Head Coach Mike Tomlin said that he would be matched up against the opponents' top receiver every week. However, there are some concerns about having Ramsey take over that role.
Former Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson has absolutely no faith in the veteran defensive back to live up to the high billing that Tomlin gave him, as he took to social media to express his opinion.
StevenNelson20 on IG
Steelers former CB Steven Nelson slammed new CB Jalen Ramsey on IG.
Nelson may have a point. Ramsey will turn 31 in October, and it's rare to see outside corners play close to their peak at that point. He had a down year in 2024 as well. Being a supposed locker room cancer does not help things at all either.
Tomlin is known for having seniority be high on his list of priorities, but the designation is still odd. The Steelers did trade away a great defensive back and leader in Minkah Fitzpatrick to acquire Ramsey, so those things combined could lead to Ramsey getting all the chances in the world to try and prove his head coach right. If Nelson is correct however, fans will turn on the former Super Bowl champion really quick.
Steelers Have Many Other Issues From Ramsey Permanently Being CB1
Again, Tomlin highly values seniority, so Slay may have the advantage of being the other outside cornerback who gets the most playing time, even though the third-year player in Porter Jr. has proven to be a shutdown corner when he's in press man coverage specifically. In fact, the whole cornerback room is built for press man schemes.
Cracks are already beginning to show though. During a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, Ramsey was beat multiple times by superstar receiver Mike Evans, who is arguably the most consistent wide receiver in the NFL. If you're going to take key reps away from Porter and Slay, you have to hold your own against the best of the best, and Ramsey has already shown struggles in that category this offseason.
X: @C_AdamskiTrib
Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro wide receiver Mike Evans (13) beats Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey (5) for a touchdown during a joint practice in August of 2025.
On top of that, Ramsey was supposed to help out at safety. Trading Fitzpatrick away made the depth very weak there, so rotating Ramsey in that spot was seen as some extra help. He can't back up and play safety if Tomlin wants him to try and lock down guys like Evans in every game. If he can't even do that properly, then the whole plan of making him the permanent starter could be a colossal mistake.
The original plan for Ramsey is likely the best one: have him rotate all over the secondary and play wherever he is needed. That way, Porter and Slay still get the reps they deserve, Ramsey gets to stick around on the field, and the depth on the back end feels better. Pittsburgh has previously thrived off of turning past-prime corners into quality slot/safety options. That seems like the most logical idea for the Steelers.
What do you think about Nelson making fun of Ramsey after he was named CB1? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
#SteelerNation
