When the Pittsburgh Steelers sent Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Jalen Ramsey last offseason, fans were optimistic. Ramsey was a dominant cornerback for the better part of a decade, and he possessed the flexibility to play on the boundary, in the slot, and at safety.
Unfortunately, the Ramsey trade came with a hefty price tag attached, and we just got more proof that the Steelers are overpaying for their aging defensive back.
On Thursday, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler released the top-10 safety rankings heading into the 2026 season, voted on by a panel of NFL execs, coaches, and scouts. According to the panel, Ramsey—who now qualifies as a safety (not a cornerback) based on his alignments in the secondary last season—was not ranked inside the top 10.
In fact, Ramsey didn't even crack the honorable mentions. Instead, the veteran was listed in the "also receiving votes" category, which included 11 other safeties. Ironically, Fitzpatrick was one of them.
Pittsburgh Steelers fans just got another reason to hate Jalen Ramsey's contract
In his article, Fowler's focus wasn't on what these safeties were getting paid; rather, who league personnel believe are the best safeties in the NFL. But this serves as a reminder of just how bad Ramsey's contract is.
After the trade last offseason, the Steelers picked up the remaining years of the contract extension the Dolphins struck with Ramsey. The veteran has three years left on his deal, which runs through the 2028 season, at a whopping $24.1 million per year, per Over the Cap. Though OTC has Ramsey listed as a cornerback, this deal is good for third among all NFL safeties—trailing only Derwin James and Kyle Hamilton.
Even among cornerbacks, Ramsey currently has a higher average annual value than Pat Surtain II, and his contract ranks fifth among CBs. But this doesn't come close to aligning with his performance on the field, nor his rankings from ESPN.
Ramsey wasn't among the top-10 or the five honorable mentions, so the NFL executives, coaches, and scouts who voted do not view him as a top-15 safety in the league. This is concerning, considering how much the Steelers are paying him.
Worse yet, Ramsey is older than all of the cornerbacks in the top-10 and the honorable mentions. The veteran will turn 32 years old early in the 2026 season, and the chances of him returning to the top-10 are unlikely.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need Ramsey to show up in a big way in 2026 if they even want to come close to getting their money's worth out of his expensive contract.
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