Minkah Fitzpatrick being traded isn’t really as shocking as some make it out to be. The return for trading him is what has me and many others scratching our collective heads on this last day of June. A short time ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded the former All-Pro safety back to Miami where he started his career. The Steelers are also sending a 2027 fifth round pick to the Dolphins. In return, Miami is sending CB Jalen Ramsey, TE Jonnu Smith and a 2027 7th round pick.
Let’s Start With the Easy One
The Steelers have been courting Jonnu Smith for the last several weeks so his addition to this deal is not surprising. Arthur Smith has history with him and he’s coming off the best year of his career. Last season he had 88 receptions for almost 900 yards and eight scores. His previous high in receptions had been 50 and he increased his best season of receiving yardage by 300 yards.
It must be said that having Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill on the field had a huge impact on Smith’s big season. While D.K. Metcalf will provide some talent on one side, will there be anyone on the opposite side to give Smith the type of freedom he had in 2024? We must also inquire about the role of Pat Freiermuth and perhaps even more so, Darnell Washington. Despite using a lot of 12 personnel, how will Arthur Smith deploy his tight ends is a major question going forward.
Minkah…
There are a couple of things at play here. The former three-time All-Pro is approaching his 29th birthday in November and he has two years left on his contract. Let’s couple that with the fact that there has been a decline in his play. That’s not just me saying it either. Rumors of a potential trade have been around since the NFL Combine and several NFL evaluators have questioned whether he is still able to play at a high level.
Ask yourself this question. If Minkah played in Pittsburgh this season and has the same type of season he’s had in the previous couple of years, would you want him to get a new contract going into his 30th year? For me, that’s an easy “no.” Therefore, I understand why Omar Khan made this move when he did. Fitzpatrick has largely been a good teammate and professional during his time with the Steelers, but this is about money and “what Minkah has done for you lately…”
As For Ramsey
The former All-Pro and one-time Super Bowl Champion will turn 31 years old this fall. Entering his 10th season in the NFL, Ramsey has largely been available save for some injury hiccups costing him a few games in 2019 and 2023. He’s always been known as a great cover cornerback but just 24 interceptions in nine years seems low to me. The other big talking point about Ramsey is his tackling.
While Ramsey certainly isn’t the worst tackling defensive back I’ve ever seen, Ramsey has been known to make more “business decisions” than others. That’s a huge concern for me if – and this is a big “IF” – he is tabbed as the guy to replace Minkah Fitzpatrick at Free Safety. And lastly, if I was concerned about the age of Minkah, then shouldn’t we be even more concerned about Ramsey?
The Money
The Steelers gave Ramsey a slight raise for 2025 which moves his salary to $26.6 million and this includes a potential “out” after the season despite being under contract through 2029. As for Jonnu Smith, he gets a one-year extension worth $12 million.
What It All Means?
Stop me if you’ve heard this before… The Steelers appear to be in ‘Win-now’ mode. One could easily ask “how?” Is trading away Fitzpatrick really a ‘win now’ mentality? It’s all in how you look at it I guess. It sure seems to me that Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan believe they can make a run with this group before turning to a new quarterback next season.
