A flood of opinions has circled the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to trade Minkah Fitzpatrick, with fans and analysts quickly weighing in on who won the deal. Speculation runs rampant, as people debate talent, ceiling and performance, but the reality is that no one can truly judge a trade until the season unfolds.
Granted, winning a trade before the season kicks off remains speculation. More importantly, analysts dig deeper, asking how the player will help his new team and how his absence will impact his former one. A current NFL executive recently offered a pointed reaction that adds a fresh perspective to the conversation.
NFL GM Takes Shot at Pittsburgh Steelers for Minkah Fitzpatrick Trade
The Steelers fan base cheered when Pittsburgh traded the Pro Bowl safety for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Meanwhile, some players felt shocked, surprised and overwhelmed. The team did need a cornerback to pair with Joey Porter Jr., creating a formidable duo that teams would fear to throw against. Now, Ramsey fills that role without a doubt. By allowing just 62% of opponents’ passes in 2024, he remains a lockdown corner who still commands the respect of foes.
Jalen Ramsey’s 70.7 PFF man coverage grade ranked 7th among qualified corners last year. His 55.8 passer rating against was also 5th
Even at 30, he can still play man at a solid level thanks to premier recovery skills pic.twitter.com/gSw39FHtPk
— Bradley Locker (@Bradley_Locker) June 30, 2025
Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick’s absence opens up a hole that the franchise did not plan for and currently does not employ a defender capable of stepping up in the role. An anonymous NFL general manager didn’t hold back when speaking to FOX Sports’ Eric Williams about the Steelers’ decision to trade Fitzpatrick, calling the move “just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”
“Ramsey at safety is intriguing to me, but not at that money,” the general manager told Williams. “He is still a starting corner, but again, his performance will not equal his pay. Fitzpatrick is a better safety, younger, cheaper and less drama. I give Miami kudos for rectifying a mistake contract extension from a year ago.”
Williams elaborated on the general manager’s perspective, noting additional concerns about Ramsey’s contract and the challenges awaiting Mike Tomlin this season.
“The longtime NFL personnel decision-maker I spoke with questioned paying Ramsey the hefty total compensation he’s set to make for the upcoming season, considering his age and the prickly personality Mike Tomlin will have to manage on defense,” Williams said. “Tomlin will already have his hands full controlling the mercurial Aaron Rodgers on offense.”
In all honesty, Rodgers did not make friends during his last season with the Green Bay Packers. Add in Jordan Love’s drafting and ascension with his testy comments, and his final days in Titletown did not go well. He then made the New York Jets, including several teammates, build the team around him.
Still, when Rodgers didn’t vibe with the head coach and partook in public feuds with analysts, he became better known for those than anything he accomplished last year. Ramsey’s collective exits from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins did not always go smoothly. As a result, Tomlin will need to wrangle Ramsey into the fold.
Now, the most significant objection should be the anonymous nature of the quote. Instead of uttering a faceless quote, the NFL and media covering it should strive for transparency and accountability when sharing such pointed opinions.
Ramsey’s arrival undoubtedly improves the cornerback room. In contrast, his exorbitant contract places a burden on the salary cap. If the Steelers wanted to improve coverage, they could have addressed the need in free agency or the draft. When they tangentially tackled the problem, Donte Kent, an ordinarily punt-returning Central Michigan University player, was selected.
Whether Tomlin can unify this roster and steer Pittsburgh toward a playoff win for the first time since 2016 will define the team’s season, and perhaps his legacy. With a retooled lineup and lingering questions about chemistry, the stakes for Tomlin and his team have rarely been higher.
a true Pittsburgh Steelers fan, since the 70’s all the Steelers Omar Khan had to do is either continue looking in the N.F.l. draft and lets no forget about CB Cory Trice Jr. but not washed up Jalen Ramsey and Jalen Ramsey is also over paid also