Jalen Ramsey did the Steelers a considerable favor by moving to safety last season, but that’s not where he should play this year. That is the opinion of beat writer Mike DeFabo, who sees a different role in his immediate future. With GM Omar Khan confirming that the team plans to retain Ramsey, the next step is defining his role.
Ramsey could, in theory, play anywhere on the back end. He played outside cornerback for the vast majority of his career, gradually playing more in the slot. Having previously expressed a desire to move to safety, necessity granted him that opportunity last season. But DeFabo sees the role in which he started last season as the one for which he is most suited. That is, in the slot.
“I think that would be the best role that he’s in, and I think that he fits for a variety of reasons,” he said of Jalen Ramsey on the Scoop City podcast. “He’s very physical, and that is part of his game. He also hadn’t blitzed a lot before this, but actually was very good at timing his blitzes. He is going to be a willing tackler if you put him in run support in the box. I think that that would be the best use of Jalen Ramsey at this age.”
The Steelers traded for Ramsey last offseason. In 17 games across 1,107 snaps, he recorded 88 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 interception, and 8 passes defensed. While he made the Pro Bowl, his move to safety defined his season.
The Steelers just lost DeShon Elliott for the season, and their other plans at safety were not working out. In addition to trading for Kyle Dugger, they also moved Jalen Ramsey to safety. Early returns proved positive, and the new back end provided stability for the defense.
Unfortunately, that did not hold consistently throughout the season, and Ramsey had some lowlights late in the season. It helped fuel the speculation this offseason about his future and whether he would be on the team.
Due nearly $20 million for 2026, it’s a high price to pay for a starting safety. But it’s an even higher price for a nickel. If Jalen Ramsey plays primarily in the slot, though, he would also play elsewhere in the base defense. The question is, would he play at outside cornerback or at safety—or some combination of both?
DeFabo makes a compelling argument about the slot being what best fits Ramsey’s current skill set. Steelers GM Omar Khan also made it clear that they’re not exactly hurting relative to the salary cap. If they unintentionally pay a premium for a player relative to his position, they don’t sound too bothered.
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