Steelers acquire Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith while sending Minkah Fitzpatrick to Dolphins in trade
The Miami Dolphins have traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers after two seasons in South Beach, the teams confirmed Monday.
Ramsey confirmed the deal in a video on X.
In exchange for Ramsey, the Dolphins received five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Tight end Jonnu Smith was also shipped to the Steelers in the deal, per Schefter. In addition to the players involved, the Steelers will also receive a 2027 seventh-round pick. The Dolphins are getting a 2027 fifth-round pick in return.
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The Steelers confirmed the details of the trade Monday, noting that it was pending player physicals.
The transaction happened after the Dolphins publicly made it known that they were willing to trade Ramsey, a 10-year veteran.
After a disastrous end to their season, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said moving Ramsey was the "best chance to help us win not only just this year but in the future as well."
"Really after a couple weeks of discussions between ourselves internally and Jalen and his representation, we decided that it was probably in the best interest for all parties to move forward," Grier said. "I will say these decisions aren't done quickly and they're not taken lightly because we spent a lot of time this offseason working through this, talking through things. At the end of the day, Jalen did not ask for a trade.
"We went through the process, and I just felt that after numerous conversations and then talking last week with Jalen and his agent, that it was best to move forward, and it was best interest of the Miami Dolphins and for Jalen Ramsey."
In his second season with the team, Miami finished with an 8-9 record and missed the playoff for the first time in three years. Ramsey tallied 60 tackles, a sack and two interceptions for seven yards.
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Once he was made available, Ramsey was linked to the Los Angeles Rams, with whom he helped win the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. The FSU product spent four years in Jacksonville and LA before joining Miami in 2023.
Though Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed interest in a reunion, it was the Steelers who struck first for the veteran cornerback. The two franchises were the most involved for Ramsey, per Rapoport.
The move shores up an already strong Steelers defense, and gives them another talented veteran player in what is expected to be Aaron Rodgers' final season in the NFL. With Rodgers in tow for one year, the team needs to do everything in its power to contend in 2025. Ramsey should help them accomplish that.
Ramsey signed a three-year, $72 million extension in 2024 and was due to earn $24.2 million this season, per Over The Cap. With the trade, Ramsey will receive a $1.5 million raise, bringing his salary to $26.6 in 2025. The Steelers will reportedly take on all but $7 million of that deal this year.
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Ramsey's contract became less of a hindrance to trade after June 1, as his $25.213 million cap charge dropped by $18.468 million.
He's under team control with the Steelers through 2028.
Dolphins acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick from Steelers
Fitzpatrick, 28, returns to Miami after six seasons away. After being selected by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Fitzpatrick played just a season and a half with the franchise before he was traded to the Steelers during the 2019 NFL season.
After a promising rookie season, Fitzpatrick was moved to nickelback to kick off his second season under then-Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. Fitzpatrick, upset about his role, requested a trade, which the Dolphins eventually accommodated later that season. He thrived after joining the Steelers, earning his first All-Pro nod.
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Fitzpatrick continued to thrive in Pittsburgh over the next five seasons, making two more All-Pro teams and four Pro Bowls from 2020 to 2024.
Jonnu Smith also heads to Steelers in Jalen Ramsey trade
Smith heads to the Steelers after one year in Miami. He performed well in his only season with the team, hauling in 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. That performance earned Smith his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Despite his strong season, Smith has been a popular trade candidate all offseason. He's entering the final year of his contract and was sitting out Dolphins offseason workouts until he got a new deal.
With the trade, Smith received a one-year, $12 million contract extension, which should keep him in Pittsburgh through the 2026 NFL season.
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