The Pittsburgh Steelers have a Jalen Ramsey problem, and it’s getting harder to ignore.
Ramsey arrived with star power and name value, but four games into this season, the fit is still more awkward than electric. The Steelers hoped he could settle into a safety-slot role and rediscover the kind of impact that once made him one of the league’s most feared defensive backs. Instead, he’s been solid without changing games - and for a player on his contract, solid isn’t close to enough.
On the field, Ramsey hasn’t been a disaster. He’s limited the damage, tackled well, and avoided the kind of busted plays that can sink a secondary.
He has 18 total tackles, has forced a fumble, and has allowed 12 catches. That’s a respectable line, but it reads like an average defender, not a premium one.
Pro Football Focus has him at a 68.6 grade, which places him 28th out of 92 safeties who have been graded. That’s fine.
It’s not franchise-altering. And that’s the issue.
The money makes the evaluation much sharper. Ramsey is earning $24.1 million per season, which makes him the eighth-highest-paid cornerback in the league even though he’s no longer playing that position.
At safety, he’s the third-highest-paid player, sitting near Kyle Hamilton and Derwin James. The production simply hasn’t matched the paycheck.
That gap matters even more because Ramsey isn’t young enough for the Steelers to bank on a major late-career rebound. What they’re getting now may be close to the ceiling, and right now that ceiling looks like an expensive average.
It also puts Pittsburgh in a tough spot heading into the future. A clean release this offseason would leave dead money behind, and the team would get nothing back in return.
A trade is possible, but the contract makes that a difficult sell. If there is a market, it would likely come before the deadline, and it would probably be from a contender hoping Ramsey could help push it over the top.
What seems unlikely is Ramsey playing in Pittsburgh next season on the same deal. A pay cut doesn’t feel realistic, which is why he already looks like an early cap casualty candidate.
The comparison to Minkah Fitzpatrick only sharpens the point. Even with complaints about Fitzpatrick in his final years with the Steelers, his contract was cheaper and the team still got a similar level of play. Ramsey brings more positional flexibility, but that extra versatility hasn’t justified the added cost.
The Steelers haven’t been helped by this arrangement, and they know it. Ramsey isn’t the reason the Joey Porter Jr. deal fell apart, but he hasn’t made the financial picture any easier either. Unless his play takes a real step forward, this looks a lot like the beginning of the end in Pittsburgh.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans May See Joey Porter Jr. Trade Very Differently Now
The Cowboys acquisition of Joey Porter Jr. came with the usual instant questions about what comes next, but the early read on his approach may ease some of that anxiety. Rather than pushing immediately for a new deal, Porter is reportedly willing to play out his current contract, which gives Dallas some breathing room as it sorts through the longer-term picture around one of its newest defensive additions.
For Steelers fans, that detail may change the way the move is viewed from afar. Porters market value is estimated at around $27.4 million per year, so the price tag is still substantial, but the bigger issue now appears to be how much security and how many years the Cowboys want to offer when the time comes. The contract conversation is not going away, but the early signs suggest this may be more about fit and timing than any urgent showdown over money. [Read more 🡒]
Missing Steelers Fan Case In Cleveland Just Took A Disturbing Turn
A trip to Cleveland for a football game has turned into a search that now carries real weight. Phoenix Phillips, a 24-year-old from Maryland, was last seen downtown after attending the game, and police have said his disappearance is concerning. His phone was found, adding to the unease around a case that has quickly moved beyond a simple missing-person report.
Authorities have also recovered an unidentified body near the area where Phillips was last known to be, though they have not confirmed any connection. The investigation remains active, and online chatter has added another layer of noise around Phillips, with unverified allegations tying him to unauthorized trading and scamming. For now, though, the only thing that matters is the unanswered question of what happened after he left the game. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers LB Cole Holcomb Shares A Feel Good Life Update
For a Steelers defense still trying to settle in through a 2-2 start, Cole Holcomb has had a more personal milestone to celebrate away from the field. Holcomb and his wife, Casey, welcomed their second child this week, a baby boy named Drew Jarrett, or DJ, adding a bright spot to a season that has already had its share of on-field grind for the veteran inside linebacker.
Holcomb has continued to be part of Pittsburghs mix in the middle of the defense, even as the early weeks have brought a little bit of everything, including an NFL fine for a blindside block on a special teams play in Week 3. The newborn news, though, is the kind of update that can reset a players week in a hurry, and it gives Holcomb and his family a memorable moment as the Steelers move deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]