3 reasons Steelers no longer the winner of Fitzpatrick trade

Are the Steelers true losers?

To reiterate, the Steelers aren’t clear losers in the Fitzpatrick trade. Assuming he can get back on the right track, these kinds of talks will die down. That said, there is reason to be concerned right now as a Steelers fan. Fitzpatrick looks little like what he did last year, and if he can’t return to that level, this deal may tilt in favor of the Dolphins.

While a first-round pick for an all-pro safety isn’t a hefty price, Fitzpatrick is only playing like an average starter right now. He isn’t a train wreck like some of the other options the Steelers have fielded at FS, but he also isn’t worth the steep investment right now. If he improves his play and gets back to form, the deal will go back in favor of the Steelers. This doesn’t even mean he needs to go interception crazy, but he at least needs to be competent at preventing completions similar to his play of last year.

While the life without Fitzpatrick scenario was a hypothetical, it was one that realistically fell in line with what could have happened. What would you rather have, an average FS or a future promising LT and a budding rookie safety mixed in with an average free agent safety? These things have to be considered when considering the overall success of the trade for Fitzpatrick.

Obviously, the season is far from over. It is possible that Fitzpatrick shuts up his critics and returns to his impressive play from 2019. Until then though, the value balance has tipped in favor of the Dolphins. If Fitzpatrick can’t improve than suddenly this deal looks like a home run for the Dolphins.