The Pittsburgh Steelers provided their fan base some tremendous excitement by acquiring cornerback Jalen Ramsey on Monday. The hype train for the Steelers defense stopped a little, though, when details of the trade revealed the team was sending safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins as part of the deal. The trade certainly hit Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward in that way.
Heyward shared his initial thoughts on the Steelers-Dolphins blockbuster trade during a new episode of his Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast Tuesday.
“You think that’s gonna be really cool to see those DBs just fly around, and then I got the gut-check of losing a really good teammate in Minkah Fitzpatrick,” Heyward said. “I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed playing with him, and I was kind of just shook by it all.
“I’m excited about the new teammates, but I’m also sad to be losing a guy that I really respect in our locker room.”
Heyward went on to speak glowingly about what Ramsey will bring to the Steelers defense. But the trade still left the veteran defensive lineman felling hollow due to the loss of Fitzpatrick.
“Man, didn’t expect to lose a teammate like that.”
Steelers’ Cameron Heyward Expresses Regret Over Losing Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick
Heyward wasn’t the only one shocked from the Steelers-Dolphins blockbuster trade. The deal left even NFL insiders, such as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, calling the move a “doozy.”
The Steelers sent Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins for Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-rounder. Ramsey and Smith both received alterations with their contracts immediately after the trade.
NFL pundits linked Ramsey and Smith individually to the Steelers over the past several weeks. But it was shocking both came together to Pittsburgh and for Fitzpatrick.
Ironically, the Steelers acquired Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins in September 2019. That move was equally shocking.
“When we first traded for [Fitzpatrick] years back, I was pretty shocked by that,” Heyward said. “We don’t really trade first-round picks, and then to bring in a guy like that of that stature, we were all very excited.”
Fitzpatrick became an immediate star with the Steelers, which was only his second season in the NFL. He intercepted five passes over his first 14 games with the Steelers, making first-team All-Pro in 2019. Fitzpatrick also made first-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2022.
During the 2022 campaign, he was tied for the league lead with six interceptions.
But while Fitzpatrick was still making Pro Bowls in 2023 and 2024, his big plays dried up. He intercepted one pass in the final 27 games he played with Pittsburgh.
Heyward Explains How Steelers Replace Fitzpatrick
While the Steelers improved their depth in two key areas — cornerback and tight end — with Monday’s blockbuster trade, they potentially made a new hole at safety.
Cameron Heyward argued Tuesday that “guys are gonna have to step up” to replace Fitzpatrick. Most likely, the direct responsibility will fall on safeties DeShon Elliott and Juan Thornhill. Elliott played his first season with the Steelers last year, and the team added Thornhill in free agency this offseason.
Having Ramsey in the secondary, though, will help too.
“The great thin about [Ramsey] though is he is ball savvy,” Heyward said. “He is able to play multiple positions.
“You’ve seen him play safety. You seen him play corner, you’ve seen him play nickel. He provides that flexibility for defense.”
The Steelers added that flexibility, along with a Pro Bowl tight end, at the cost of a former All-Pro safety.
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