Former All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel Sr. believes the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘fleeced’ the Miami Dolphins in the Jalen Ramsey trade.
Samuel sees the Steelers’ defense getting better in the Ramsey for Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, in addition to adding another weapon in Jonnu Smith.
“If the Steelers’ defense was ranked 12th in total defense, with almost no production from Minkah Fitzpatrick last season, I know, and I guarantee, Jalen Ramsey will make this defense a better defense,” Samuel said on the Say What Needs To Be Said podcast. “And the Dolphins had no reason to trade Jalen Ramsey, other than that they were sensitive. There’s no leadership in the Dolphins organization. Mike McDaniels is a pushover. Chris Grier, the general manager, has no backbone. These guys over here, the Miami Dolphins, they are running this team like a little league team. To me, it doesn’t make sense. Because [the Dolphins] traded for another safety, when Jalen Ramsey could easily be moved to safety and be way more productive than the person you just traded for.”
Ramsey, who has played mostly outside and slot cornerback in his career, could make a major move late in his career. He will turn 31, and there is some thought that Ramsey could eventually move to safety.
The Steelers reportedly saw some shades of Rod Woodson in Ramsey’s game, which is part of why they traded for him. Woodson played his first 12 NFL seasons at cornerback before switching to safety, becoming an All-Pro at that position.
“This is a case-by-case situation where a player like Jalen Ramsey happened to be available where they feel like he gives them more flexibility than what they had with Minkah Fitzpatrick,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on Get Up. “He can play slot cornerback, can play safety, if you need him to do that. They see shades of Rod Woodson.”
In the past, Ramsey has said that he would move to safety later in his career if asked and believes that he can thrive defensively in that role.
“I wouldn’t have any problems moving to safety,” Ramsey said back in 2021.
Ramsey’s versatility will allow the Steelers to have Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, and the multiple-time All-Pro to all be on the field simultaneously in a way they could not execute beforehand.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.