The Steelers made a bold move last offseason when they sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins for Jalen Ramsey, banking on the idea that one of the league’s most versatile defensive backs could still tilt a secondary. But a new set of rankings only adds to the sense that Pittsburgh paid a premium for a player whose value no longer matches the bill.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released his top-10 safety rankings for the 2026 season, with the list coming from votes by NFL executives, coaches and scouts. Ramsey, who now qualifies as a safety based on how he lined up in the secondary last season, didn’t make the cut.
He didn’t land among the honorable mentions, either. Ramsey showed up only in the “also receiving votes” group, which included 11 other safeties. Fitzpatrick was in that mix as well.
That matters because it underlines the gap between what the Steelers are paying and how the league views Ramsey right now. After the trade, Pittsburgh took on the rest of the extension Miami had given him, a deal that runs through the 2028 season and carries an average annual value of $24.1 million, according to Over the Cap. That number puts him third among all NFL safeties, behind only Derwin James and Kyle Hamilton.
Even if you look at him through his cornerback label, the contract still sits near the top of the market. Ramsey’s average annual value is higher than Pat Surtain II’s, and his deal ranks fifth among cornerbacks. But the money and the reputation aren’t lining up with the current production or with ESPN’s rankings.
The bigger issue for Pittsburgh is simple: the people voting on these lists don’t see Ramsey as one of the league’s top 15 safeties. And that’s a tough place to be when you’re carrying one of the most expensive contracts at the position.
Age only sharpens the concern. Ramsey is older than every cornerback in ESPN’s top-10 and honorable mentions, and he’ll turn 32 early in the 2026 season. That makes a climb back into the top tier feel like a long shot.
For the Steelers, the path forward is clear. If they want any real return on this deal, Ramsey needs to deliver a big 2026 season.
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