There has been a mixed reaction since the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins pulled off one of the biggest trades of the offseason. The Steelers acquired two-star players with Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith coming to town. It was a move that came out of nowhere, and no one was expecting Pittsburgh to trade away Minkah Fitzpatrick.
It created a spike in NFL coverage in an otherwise quiet time of the NFL calendar.
General Manager Omar Khan made a swing for this roster going into training camp. There are holes at different positions he must focus on, but this trade will also be bad news for a variety of players. Pittsburgh had powerful competition at tight end and cornerback before this move, but now it's only intensified. Expect Pittsburgh to struggle to keep some notable names after this deal.
Expect some Pittsburgh Steelers to have their roster security diminish after massive trade
Beanie Bishop, Cornerback
It appears Ramsey will get a lot of playing time in the slot for the Steelers, and that spells disaster for Beanie Bishop. The former undrafted free agent jumped into action as a rookie and produced mixed results. He might've played well for stretches of his rookie campaign, but Bishop wasn't consistent. Ramsey is a versatile piece, which could lead to Bishop still gaining a role on defense.
Khan made it clear they needed an upgrade in the secondary by adding Ramsey.
The veteran cornerback might not be the same level of player he once was, but his adaptability to craft his game around his age has made things easier. Bishop won't be winning the starting job at the slot cornerback position anymore, and he must beat out rookie Donte Kent for a roster spot.
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Connor Heyward, Tight end
No one saw their roster spot get shakier than Connor Heyward following the trade addition of Smith. The Steelers acquired Smith, a versatile weapon as a tight end who could even morph into a fullback in specific scenarios. That is tragic news for Heyward, who already had an uphill battle to stick on the roster before this move.
Odds are, he will have almost no shot at sticking in Pittsburgh unless it's on the practice squad.
The addition of Smith in this blockbuster trade shows how much offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves the position. He wants playmakers and guys who can help the team set the tone up front. They will have a new weapon to work with, but the fit Pittsburgh provides the veteran tight end is puzzling. The Steelers have their three tight ends set on the roster, and it spells doom for Heyward.
Joey Porter Jr., Cornerback
Khan perceivably added Ramsey in this trade to play most of the time in the slot, but there are no guarantees.
The veteran cornerback has played multiple positions throughout his career, and that versatility will be attractive to the Steelers. Expect Mike Tomlin to try and deploy Ramsey around the secondary in different looks. He could be an outside or inside cornerback, and safety could be another option.
Joey Porter Jr. shouldn't be afraid of losing his starting spot yet, but he and Darius Slay should be a little concerned. If either starts to struggle throughout the upcoming season, don't be shocked if Ramsey starts to steal some of their snaps. Porter must prove his consistency and refrain from penalties if he wishes to steer Ramsey away from taking his spot as a starting outside cornerback.