Pro-Bowl Safety Is Extremely Doubtful Steelers' Jalen Ramsey Can Turn Things Around

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a lot of splashes during the 2025 offseason. The team struck out of nowhere on a trade with the Seattle Seahawks and acquired wide receiver DK Metcalf. The organization then signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and a trade was also completed with the Miami Dolphins to bring in cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The defender has the Steelers mindset, but he is closer to the end of his career than people may have originally thought. It became clear that he no longer had what it takes to play cornerback on the outside, and he eventually switched to safety while playing in the slot some as well.

Ramsey proved to be a bit of a liability at cornerback during the 2025 season and then switched to safety after the position group was hit by some injuries. He is now expected to continue in that safety role in 2026 while also contributing as a slot cornerback. Many believe that a full offseason under his belt of training as a safety will make him perform better in the defensive backfield, but some people still have their reservations about the All-Pro cornerback making the switch.

Former Pro-Bowl safety Donte Whitner went on Good Morning Football on Friday, and the cast discussed the switch for Ramsey. Whitner expressed some doubts while comparing him to players that have made the switch in the past.

"They moved Jalen Ramsey from corner to safety. Everybody can't make that transition because it takes a different skillset." Whitner said. "You have the angles that you approach the ball carry are different. The footwork and the efficiency in the middle of the field and the deep half and in the quarter of the field is different. The communication is enormous at the safety position. You're a quarterback of the defense. So I don't think that Jalen Ramsey has the makeup of the Charles Woodson's that's been able to convert to safety from corner and do it at a high level and make Pro Bowls."

There is no doubting Ramsey's résumé as a cornerback, but he certainly struggled some at safety later on in the 2025 season. Fans were hoping there would be some improvements in 2026, but Whitner doesn't see his transition being as successful as a guy like Charles Woodson's was.

Woodson is known as one of the best defensive backs of all time, and in an effort to extend his career he switched to safety around the start of the 2012 season. Prior to the switch, he had already made eight Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro teams as a cornerback. He switched to safety and played for four more years before retiring after the 2015 campaign. In his final year, he made the Pro Bowl and was named a Second-Team All-Pro as a safety.

The Hall of Famer is probably the best case of a defensive back switching positions in the history of the league. No one is expecting Ramsey to be an All-Pro as a safety, but improved play from what was seen in 2025 is necessary. According to Whitner, Ramsey will also have to be on top of the communication for the defense, and that might prove to be difficult with a new defensive coordinator running things.

Steelers Need Consistent Play From Ramsey

Lately, TJ Watt's contract is always the one that is brought up when someone wants to mention a bad deal on the Steelers' books. However, another bad deal is Ramsey's. The Steelers extended the defensive back on a four-year, $84.7 million deal after acquiring him from Miami. 

His cap hits for the next three seasons are roughly $17 million, $19 million, and $31 million. If the organization does not get better play out of the converted safety, that trade is going to be looked at as a major blemish on Omar Khan's résumé.

What do you think about these comments from Whitner? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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