What do the Jamel Dean and Jaquan Brisker signings mean for Jalen Ramsey?
While Jalen Ramsey can “play anywhere” in the Steelers’ secondary, Jamel Dean and Jaquan Brisker will play somewhere, presumably. Both signed contracts of reasonable significance, particularly Dean. One imagines he will be the starting cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr., but what about Brisker?
Not yet official, Brisker is reportedly signing a one-year deal worth $5.5 million. Capable of playing either safety position, he has been a full-time starter since his rookie year—when healthy. The Steelers also have DeShon Elliott returning at safety, with presumably no plans to move or bench him. But there are a lot of assumptions we can’t make right now, including their plans for Jalen Ramsey.
The Steelers traded for Ramsey last season in a deal that sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins. That trade also brought Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh, whom the Steelers have since released. Ramsey is here, and GM Omar Khan already verbally committed to him remaining here.
But teams often say things and do another. Plans change as the situations do. Maybe the Steelers were surprised to land Jamel Dean and/or Jaquan Brisker and couldn’t pass up the opportunity. In recent years, they have seemed to prefer acquiring talent and worrying about piecing it together later.
While I don’t think the Dean and Brisker moves would prompt the Steelers trading to trade Jalen Ramsey, it does raise questions about how the personnel deployment plays out. With Ramsey’s salary, one imagines they expect him to play every snap, or nearly every snap.
Given the personnel, Ramsey figures to be the Steelers’ slot defender in the nickel and dime. That will be the look in which they play most often, presumably, but what about in a 3-4 front? Between Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker, and Jalen Ramsey, who is on the field, and in what situations?
On paper, it’s a good problem to have, but it’s something they need to figure out. The good news is they have plenty of time to do it. And it’s better to have a good player on the bench than a bad one on the field.
The Steelers exited the playoffs in the first round yet again, a pattern going back to 2017.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are facing another long, long offseason. No doubt we will see many changes, but none will top Mike Tomlin resigning.
The NFL has crowned its latest champion, but for us and the Steelers, we have been in offseason mode. That’s what happens when the team you coverloses by the middle of January all the time, but you’ve been around, so you know that already. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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