The Steelers and Lions have already been tied together once in the cornerback market, and the idea may not be dead yet. Detroit missed out on Joey Porter Jr., who ended up with the Dallas Cowboys, but the next conversation could center on another defensive back in Pittsburgh.
That’s where Jalen Ramsey enters the picture. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler floated the possibility that Detroit could reach out to the Steelers about the veteran corner, writing, "Is it worth calling Pittsburgh for Jalen Ramsey? Not sure he's available, but the Lions' defense seems far from settled," in his weekly buzz file.
From Pittsburgh’s side, the fit is not exactly clean on the field, and that matters. Ramsey is only viewed as a slot option in this defense, and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has been clear about it. He’s the "star position" guy, and that’s where he stays.
The bigger issue is the money. Ramsey is 31, and the contract ahead of him makes a long stay in Pittsburgh tough to imagine.
He’s set to make $19 million in 2027 with over $16 million in dead cap. The year after, the number jumps to $31 million, or there would be $11 million in dead cap.
That kind of deal gives the Steelers a reason to at least listen. If they can get out from under it, they’d not only avoid more salary cap pain down the road, they could also pick up a mid-round draft pick in the process.
There’s also a built-in fallback already on the roster in Brandin Echols. He may not be an every-down corner in the NFL, but he has the ability to handle a larger role. Graham pointed to Echols’ work in his introductory press conference, which suggests the Steelers have some confidence he can help in the slot if needed.
So if Detroit is serious about adding Ramsey and is willing to absorb the contract, the idea starts to make some sense. The Steelers have a possible replacement, real concerns about the deal, and a chance to move on from another expensive mistake.
They’ve shown they’re willing to walk away from bad contracts. This one may be worth discussing too.
In Other News...
Steelers Veterans Already Facing Real Roster Pressure After Rough Start
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Asante Samuel Jr., Spencer Anderson, Rayshawn Jenkins, Rico Dowdle, Patrick Queen and Michael Pittman Jr. are all in the mix as players whose standing could change quickly if the current trend continues. For a team trying to stabilize after a rough start, the next few weeks could decide whether those veterans are part of the answer or simply the first names on a list that gets shorter. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Porter Jrs Surprise Cowboys Absence Adds Context To Texans Debut
Joey Porter Jr. was expected to build on his Dallas debut against the Texans, but his night with the Cowboys took an abrupt turn before the game against the Buccaneers even got underway. The former Steelers cornerback was listed inactive, leaving Dallas to adjust its secondary plans and potentially lean more on options such as Cobie Durant and Ameer Speed.
Porters absence adds a little more context to what looked like a routine next step in his new role, especially after his first game in Dallas had already hinted at a larger workload ahead. Instead, the illness forced the Cowboys to reshuffle on the fly, and it leaves a familiar subplot for Steelers fans watching from afar: a player whose move drew attention is already dealing with the kind of setback that can alter a depth chart fast. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Face A Jonathan Taylor Problem They Cant Ignore
Derrick Harmons move to injured reserve leaves the Steelers making another adjustment up front, and rookie Gabriel Rubio is expected to step into his spot on the defensive line. It is the kind of shuffle Pittsburgh has had to manage before, but this one arrives with a clear test attached, because the defense has already had issues holding up against the run this season.
Jonathan Taylor brings a different kind of pressure to the matchup with Indianapolis, and the Steelers cannot afford to let the Colts control the game on the ground. Rubios first extended opportunity could come in a spot where every gap matters, and Pittsburgh will need more than a simple lineup change to keep Taylor from becoming the story. [Read more 🡒]