While Aron Rodgers thought about his first week with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the quarter-tree that joined the club just in time for Minicamp compulsory has not only rented its offensive weapons.
Rodgers congratulated the defensive player veteran Cam Heyward as “the team’s OG” whose leadership he “likes to watch”. And Rodgers congratulated the acquisition of the endison of the Steelers in 2024 of the second Patrick Queen as “a dog” against which would compete.
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Between the two, the quadruple MVP praised specific football to a defender.
“I’m just talking to Minkah [Fitzpatrick]I mean what high football Qi this guy A, “said Rodgers last week on” The Pat McAfee Show “.” It was really interesting to see him train and then choose his brain in the locker room. “”
How fast things are changing.
The Steelers and Miami Dolphins agreed on Monday morning to a business that sends Fitzpatrick to Miami in exchange for the corner half Jalen Ramsey and the tight winger Jonnu Smith.
The Steelers also dealt with their choice of fifth round in 2027 in exchange for the fifth of the Dolphins in 2027, with Miami covering $ 3 million from the salary of $ 26.6 million in Ramsey in 2025, ESPN reported.
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Trade has surprised the League for several reasons, the chief of which is perhaps yet another decision in an unusually active off-season for the Steelers. A club that has long preached patience and the construction of a list through draft-and-development tactics, abandoned this approach this spring.
At the receiver, Pittsburgh acquired DK Metcalf from Seattle Seahawks and treated George Pickens to Dallas Cowboys. In the defensive back, they have now moved Fitzpatrick and acquired Ramsey. And at the quarter-Arrière, of course, their long pursuit of Rodgers borne fruit when he officially signed in June. Smith will strengthen their tight final group.
Some quickly asked if the Steelers are “all in” with their acquisitions of Rodgers, Metcalf, Ramsey and Smith. But the coaches of the League and the leaders see the message of Pittsburgh differently.
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With the players not only in but also outside, and the space in their salary ceiling and their cash expenses, several sources have characterized the approach of the steelers less as an “all-in” look and more as a “win-plus” mode.
This is aligned with the announcement of Rodgers last week that he is “almost sure” 2025 will be his last season in the NFL.
Thus, while Pittsburgh looks at its high ceiling (although the low ground) in the quarter-arre with the quadruple MVP which they signed for 2025, they structure their list movements accordingly.
They are considering their recent success of the regular season and their subsequent eliminatory struggles, and by responding by transforming what could be considered as a “lukewarm” exchange in a justifiable risk, said a high -ranking AFC leader.
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“They paid a bonus for upgrades to the talents with the spots they deemed impactful because it is worth more for them in their current list with an aging nucleus trying to overcome the joker bump that it would not be a team of 13 victories or a team with five victories,” said the director at Yahoo Sports. “They take a financial risk, a risk of age and cultural risks, but you can understand it.
“You can at least understand logic.”
What do the Steelers earn, losing this job?
Exchanging Fitzpatrick should not be underestimated.
The choice of first round 2018 obtained three All-Pro head selects and five Pro Bowl in six seasons with the Steelers. The league coaches and leaders consider him a high -level security whose production has easily validated its costs. On and off the field, he raised the players around him.
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“Minkah is elite security,” said an attacking assistant who has faced Fitzpatrick and Ramsey in the past two years in Yahoo Sports. “Elite instincts and ball skills.”
Several sources have noted their conviction that Fitzpatrick, at 28, has more high -level football than Ramsey, 30. They appreciated the lower salary of Fitzpatrick, although a source wonders how long the dolphins extended Fitzpatrick, which costs $ 15.5 million this year compared to the $ 26.6 million in Ramsey. Fitzpatrick’s presence was more stable than that of Ramsey – which was exchanged from Jacksonville Jaguars to Los Angeles Rams at the Miami Dolphins in the Steelers.
Do Steelers need the Smith bump to justify the quarter of defense?
Sources were divided during returns in 2025, but a defensive assistant from the AFC declared that they preferred Ramsey in Fitzpatrick on their 2025 list.
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“The two guys are at the end of their peak,” said the assistant to Yahoo Sports. “”[But cornerback] is a premium position. More value on the third bottom, the red zone and two minutes [drills because of] Man’s matches.
“Ramsey is now in a better team with a renowned temple coach.”
Steelers can probably use Ramsey in a versatile role, moving it between the typical responsibilities of an external corner, interior corner, security and nickel.
Jalen Ramsey (right) turned out to be a gaming corner with strong ball skills, and he could be a precious addition to the Steelers. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)
(Kevin Sabitus via Getty Images)
The attacking assistant who led to Ramsey praised him as a dynamic player with elite instincts and ball skills, while questioning his speed at 30 years.
“I think he will have trouble with the elite WRs that can run,” said the assistant. “”[Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr] Chase will eat it.
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The value of Smith at the tight end can be less analyzed than the defensive exchange, but will nevertheless stimulate Pittsburgh when he finds the offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who led Jonnu Smith to the Titans of Tennessee and the Falcons of Atlanta.
Arthur Smith knows the skills of its tight end – and can also study the film from 2024, when Jonnu Smith established careers in career with 88 receptions and 884 reception yards. He equaled a career in a career with eight affected.
An NFC leader assigned the Steelers to have shown Smith in the package.
“It was productive,” said the executive, “and [Pittsburgh] had the lever effect.
Why the Steelers’s commercial performance dictates a two -part objective
Maybe it’s worth seeing the future of the Steelers in two separate buckets.
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Ask questions specifically on the skill and competitiveness of the 2025 Steelers – then consider it separately what the franchise will look like in 2026 and beyond.
Pittsburgh and Tomlin seem comfortable with this dichotomy. There is no reason to believe that they can’t Be competitive in 2026 and doubt a head coach whose 18 years does not include losing seasons seems silly.
But there are reasons to believe that 2026 and beyond are not the main strategic objectives of the Steelers at the moment.
Tomlin and the latest Super Bowl Steelers title followed the 2008 season, their last appearance of the Super Bowl after 2010. The franchise has qualified for the qualifying series since then. They did not win an eliminatory match their last five places in the playoff series.
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“They were GOOD For many years, “said an NFC frame with a super bowl on their curriculum vitae.” At one point, you must take a swing.
“You owe it to fans.”
Pittsburgh seems to take this swing, while falling away from the “F *** them picks” mantra from the Rams of Los Angeles. The Steelers have not completely mortgaged their future to strengthen their present.
They tilted their movements to the success of 2025 while limiting the capital and salary sacrifices during future seasons.
Now, the Great Rodgers experience continues, without the defender he liked most of choosing during the Minicamp, but with another high-level defender whose brain may start to choose.
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The experience continues with a tight productive end to complete the existing force Pat Freiermuth, and the experience continues with all kinds of swings that Tomlin and the Steelers take so that Tomlin and the Steelers take so rarely.
Will it work?
Anyway, the Steelers should have options in the months and years to come.
“Trade feels more in the short term [rather than] Going “everything,” said a framework for the NFC. “I don’t see him as the only levers they can shoot.”
