When I saw the reports from various media outlets that the Pittsburgh Steelers had traded Minkah Fitzpatrick back to the Miami Dolphins, the very same player for whom we traded in 2019 for a 2020 first-round pick, I was and still am flabbergasted.
What we are getting back in return are two players, who, quite frankly, may or may not become significant contributors to our cause, but the player we just traded has been a significant contributor to our cause. Fitzpatrick exits the Steelers having been selected to five Pro Bowls and having been designated as an All-Pro three times.
Fitzpatrick also recorded three hundred and forty-one solo tackles, four fumble recoveries, and nabbed eighteen INTs, three of which were returned for TDs. I would offer that production is going to be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are essentially giving up on the 2025 season by trading a stalwart defender
Look, I understand that the NFL is a business. A business decision was clearly made by trading one of our stalwarts on defense for two players, Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith, and a swap of 2027 draft picks, according to various reports. It seems strange that we would even trade any picks, but what do I know?
To be fair, Fitzpatrick's production has declined over the last two seasons, recording only one INT, and reports are circulating about his play on the field. I don't know or can't speak to the validity of said reports, but I do know that Fitzpatrick had a rather large cap hit of over twenty-two million dollars, per Over the Cap.
I hope the Steelers are planning to either sign or trade for a free safety because, as we sit here right now, if you look at the roster, I would say that no one can fill the role that was just vacated by trading Fiztpatrick. I could be wrong, and I hope I am. Maybe Ramsey will play safety in certain formations. Who knows? Not me, that's for sure.
I also don't know how Smith will fit into the offensive scheme. Despite the fact that he was a member of both the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons when Arthur Smith was the offensive coordinator and head coach, respectively, Smith has never really lit the world on fire, so to speak, offensively.
The bottom line for me is this: the Steelers may have shed some salary cap by trading Fitzpatrick, but, at least on paper, the defense got no better than it was before the trade and, frankly, may have gotten worse. No disrespect toward Ramsey. He has been a great player, but he is north of thirty years old. I don't care who you are. Father Time catches up with everyone.
I don't know how this trade will ultimately shake out. Like anything else we discuss, only time will tell, but I can't help thinking that all we've done is wave the white flag and declare to the rest of the league that we are more concerned about what the team looks like on paper rather than what the team can produce on the field. I could be wrong, and I sincerely hope I am.