The Miami Dolphins traded seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday for five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a pick swap. The ‘Fins are also sending the Steelers a 2027 seventh-round pick and will get back a 2027 fifth-round selection.
The 28-year-old Fitzpatrick started his career in Miami after the organization made him the #11 overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. But the University of Alabama product, who was unhappy with the massive rebuild and being moved to nickleback from safety by former coach Brian Flores, was dealt to Pittsburgh in September of 2019.
Fitzpatrick has been a staple of the Steelers’ defense since then. In fact, he recorded 57 tackles, nine passes broken up, five interceptions with 130 return and one touchdown, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss in 14 regular-season games after the 2019 trade.
In 2022, Fitzpatrick produced 96 tackles, 11 PBU, six interceptions with 94 return yards and one TD and 2.5 TFL’s. He played in all 17 regular-season games last season, contributing 96 tackles, four PBU, three TFL’s, one interception with a 25-yard return and one forced fumble.
Fitzpatrick went to the playoffs with the Steelers in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024. However, they lost all four of those games. Fitzpatrick has 31 tackles in four career postseason contests.
In 106 career regular-season games, Fitzpatrick has 608 tackles, 54 PBU, 20 interceptions with 408 yards and four TDs, 14.5 TFL’s, five forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.
Pittsburgh will be the fourth different organization for the 30-year-old Ramsey, who the Jacksonville Jaguars picked with the #5 overall selection in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The former national champion at Florida State made the 2016 NFL All-Rookie Team.
Ramsey played in all 16 regular-season games for the Jags as a rookie, producing 65 tackles, 14 PBU, three TFL’s, two interceptions with 65 return yards and one TD and one forced fumble. He helped Jacksonville advance to the AFC Championship Game in 2017 and was ranked 17th by his fellow players on the list of NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
But in September of 2019, Ramsey and then-head coach Doug Marrone got into a verbal altercation and had to be physically restrained from one another. One month later, the Jags traded Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2020 first-round pick, a 2021 first-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round selection.
During the 2021 regular season, Ramsey recorded 77 tackles, 16 PBU, six TFL’s, four interceptions, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. The Rams ended up beating the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI. He had four tackles in the win over the Bengals. Ramsey had 13 tackles and four PBU in the Rams’ four postseason games.
In March of 2023, the Rams were in salary-cap hell needing to get rid of several big-money contracts. Ramsey’s was one of those, and he was sent to Miami for TE Hunter Long and a 2023 third-round pick. He tore his meniscus in training camp, causing him to miss the Dolphins’ first seven games.
Ramsey returned in late October and played in 10 regular-season contests, contributing 22 tackles, five PBU and three interceptions with 52 return yards. In 2024, Ramsey played in all 17 regular-season contests and had 60 tackles, 11 PBU, four TFL’s, two interceptions and one sack.
Jonnu Smith will reunite with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh. Arthur Smith was the Atlanta head coach in 2023 when Smith had 50 catches for 582 yards and three TDs. They also were together in Smith’s first four seasons (2017-20) in the NFL when Arthur Smith was on Mike Vrabel’s staff with the Tennessee Titans.
Smith is off back-to-back breakout seasons. He was even more productive in Miami last year, hauling in 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight TDs.
FanDuel has Pittsburgh’s odds to win Super Bowl LX at 45/1, while Miami’s number is 75/1.