One of the bigger letdowns on the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, the hope was that Jalen Ramsey was going to solidify the cornerback room and give the team an imposing trio to try and throw against. Instead, his declining mobility made him a liability and forced him into a role at slot CB and safety.
In short, it wasn’t the way this ream envisioned using this former Super Bowl Champion.
There was some mild debate on whether Ramsey would be back for another season. His ballooning cap hit was high for a cornerback, but as a slot defender and safety, it was among the highest in the league.
That said, the Steelers decided to keep Ramsey around for at least one more season. Now, it appears as though Pittsburgh has a legitimate plan for Ramsey, and it could pay dividends for this defense.
The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have a good plan in place for Jalen Ramsey
It has been well documented that new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham likes to run a lot of nickel and dime defense. This means there will be a need for other defensive backs to play in that scheme.
Joe Whitt put it, they will have a slot, or “star” defender on the field often. That role seems to belong to Ramsey.
He also mentioned that Ramsey is still versatile and can play safety or outside cornerback. Both are technically true (although I would argue that safety is the only real option at this point), but they seem more like afterthoughts.
It feels like Ramsey is making a full-time move to the slot, which is his best fit as a player. His declining speed can be better hidden there, and his physicality can shine.
The real question starts with what happens when the team is in base defense. That doesn’t seem like it will be often, maybe 25% of the time, but what will Ramsey do then?
My guess is that he plays free safety, as his contract is so large, you want to have him on the field. The argument is there to just let him focus on his work in the slot, though, and not complicate things.
Ramsey’s versatility is a tool, but it felt like there wasn’t a great plan for him before. Now we know what his primary job will be in 2026, and the fit seems like a match made in heaven.
Add us as a preferred source on Google