Steelers Given Brutally Frank ‘Dream Team’ Comparison After Jalen Ramsey Trade |

The Pittsburgh Steelers rolled the dice on a major gamble Monday, trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. He and the Miami Dolphins reached the end of their relationship and had sought after a trade partner.

Pittsburgh became the target, sending Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami while also getting Jonnu Smith in the deal. But the focus of the deal centers on Ramsey.

The Steelers needed secondary help given their concerns for Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. heading into this season. Ramsey certainly provides some stability on one side of the deal though he comes at a very high price.

This marks yet another big name with debatable benefits for the roster. The Steelers previously traded for DK Metcalf and signed Aaron Rodgers, marking the additional polarizing faces entering the locker room in 2025.

Clearly, the Steelers are trying to maximize the one year they will have with Rodgers. But in terms of actually getting closer to title contention, many believe that to still be in doubt.

Dan Graziano even issued the comparison to the Philadelphia Eagles, but not the version that just won Super Bowl LIX. He made the case on Monday's episode of "First Take" on ESPN.

"The better parallel would be Philadelphia in Andy Reid's last year, when they went out and got all sort of stars... the dream team. Now, we were sitting there in the offseason thinking their roster was better. If the Steelers are going all-in, I just don't know how much they've improved their team this offseason."

The Steelers still have a void at the No. 2 receiver and have additional concerns elsewhere. When their supposed big-name solutions carry their own baggage and noticeable shortcomings, there's even more reason for doubt.

But Ramsey is still a premier corner and Smith just had the best season of his career. There is still plenty to like from this trade and how it shapes the Steelers' roster.

Pittsburgh will have their critics lined up if this blend of talent cannot change the course of the team this season. If this move pays off, however, the Steelers could become an intriguing player in this AFC mix.

Anthony Goss

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Aaron Moody is a sports and general reporter for the News & Observer. Here is a second sentence for the bio because it will probably be longer than this. Maybe even longer I don't know. Support my work with a digital subscription

This story was originally published June 30, 2025 at 5:37 PM