The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of the biggest moves of last season when they pulled off a blockbuster trade involving Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick, a move that made sense for both parties involved.
At the time, the deal was viewed as an attempt to maximize a championship window. Ramsey is still very good and while Fitzpatrick is great, too, Ramsey is a tad better at this stage of their career. However, now less than a year later, that decision may already be under review.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine recently examined potential cap-casualty candidates around the league and suggested that the aftermath of the Ramsey and Fitzpatrick trade could lead to another major shakeup, with Ramsey potentially being moved on from.
“The Jalen Ramsey-Minkah Fitzpatrick trade remains one of the biggest deals from the last season. The contract fall out should be interesting as both could wind up being cut candidates for their new respective teams,” Ballentine wrote.
While both players carry name recognition and nicehistory, Ballentine believes Ramsey’s situation in Pittsburgh is a lot different than it seems.
“That’s especially the case for Ramsey. The Steelers tried him out at corner after trading Fitzpatrick for him. However, he wound up moving to safety full-time.”
Ballentine also pointed to a major organizational change that could further impact the decision.
“The position switch, combined with Mike McCarthy taking over for Mike Tomlin, certainly makes for an interesting decision… “The $19.5 million would be worth a ton on the open market if the Steelers have a different target in mind.”
A coaching change often brings changes to a roster, particularly on defense, but McCarthy is an offensive guy and might feel confident with a proven veteran like Ramsey on his roster, even if he’s expensive.
While Ramsey is still a respected veteran, allocating nearly $20 million to a player whose role is different from what it once was could be tough to justify, especially if Pittsburgh believes it can address multiple needs with that money.
We’ll see what McCarthy wants to do in the future, but there are some tough decisions to make here regarding a lot more than just Ramsey.