Whether you call it the star position, money, apex, or big nickel, that’s the role Jalen Ramsey should play for the Steelers, Vince Williams believes. The former Pittsburgh linebacker has been dipping his toes in the media, appearing on Steelers Nation Radio lately. He believes in his former team’s current defense, and believes Ramsey needs to be the featured defender.
“I would love to see [Jalen] Ramsey play the big nickel position”, Williams said on the Steelers Standard. In his second year with the team, he should have a freer role than he was allowed a year ago. “Just the versatility of that position has got to be off the charts, and I think Ramsey can be that guy for us for sure”.
The “big nickel” is a growing trend in the NFL, even if it isn’t remotely new. It goes by many names, as mentioned at the start, or at least several concepts tend to merge around a similar idea. It’s basically a defender who combines elements of a linebacker and a defensive back. Athletic enough to cover a slot receiver, but big and strong enough to defend a tight end. That’s Jalen Ramsey.
And I think Vince Williams is in luck, since that appears very much what the Steelers intend to do. They already have Joey Porter Jr. and Jamel Dean at cornerback, with DeShon Elliot and Jaquan Brisker at safety. Jalen Ramsey will most likely play one of the safety spots in a 3-4 front, but he should spend most of his time in the slot and in the box the majority of the time.
When the Steelers traded for Ramsey last year, they had ideas, but not a plan. At the start of the season, he primarily played outside and in the slot. Once injuries mounted at the back end, however, he had to move to safety. Now that Elliott is back and Brisker is in, the new coaching staff hopes to maximize Jalen Ramsey’s skill set.
And it certainly fits with growing trends, especially since last season with the Seattle Seahawks’ use of then-rookie Nick Emmanwori. Other modern examples include the Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton and the Lions’ Brian Branch, with draft prospects like Sonny Styles seen in that vein. Jalen Ramsey has a college background suitable to this versatility, as well as the frame.
“Historically, it came from Patrick Chung”, Williams said of the “big nickel” position, referring to the former Patriots safety. “He was a guy that would be able to line up in the box if team went 12 personnel, … But he also had the versatility to split out when teams went 11 personnel”.
Williams believes that with the proliferation of “McVay babies”—that is, NFL coaches from the Sean McVay coaching tree—big nickel defenders will only become more important. Though he spent much of his career as a lockdown corner, Ramsey is in many ways one of the prototypes. At least, that’s the theory the Steelers are counting on—that and him having enough left in the tank.
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