The Friday Rewind: Evaluating the Fitzpatrick/Ramsey trade, and what makes 4th of July so special
Happy 4th of July, everyone! And welcome to our Friday Rewind column at PFI, which provides a concise analysis of the biggest stories of the week in the NFL.
The Lead: Who won the Minkah Fitzpatrick-Jalen Ramsey trade?
Answer: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Am I saying this because I’m a Steelers fan? Yes, partially. But also because they really did get the better of it. Here’s why.
Both are comparable as players these days. Fitzpatrick is two years younger, which gives him the greater upside, but hasn’t made the same impact the past two seasons he did a few years ago. Ramsey is no longer an elite talent but is still effective, and his versatility will allow Pittsburgh to use him in a variety of ways — outside corner, slot corner, free safety. Fitzpatrick makes Miami better on the back end, but losing Ramsey weakens a corner room that was already shaky. Meanwhile, Ramsey’s ability to play free safety mitigates the loss of Fitzpatrick in Pittsburgh. From a talent and ability perspective, the trade is a wash.
The salaries cancel each other as well. The Steelers will pay Ramsey about $19 million next season, while Fitzpatrick is due $18 million in Miami. Ramsey is locked up for the next four years, but the Steelers can release him after this season without taking too much of a dead money hit. Fitzpatrick is signed through 2026 and will carry a $24 million cap hit next season. Both players earn a lot of money and haven’t produced the past two years in a way that justifies their pay. Neither team really gains an advantage financially from this trade, unless one player or the other has a monster season.
So far, things seem about even. Why do the Steelers win the trade, then?
Jonnu Smith.
His addition is an Arthur Smith fever dream. Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator, loves tight ends the way my daughter loves not cleaning her playroom. The Steelers were a Top-5 team last season in their use of 12-personnel (two tight ends), and ran the most snaps in the league from 13-personnel (three tight ends). Arthur Smith coached Jonnu Smith in his previous stops in Tennessee and Atlanta, and the Steelers made a play to acquire Jonnu Smith from Miami a few weeks ago, before Fitzpatrick and Ramsey entered the conversation. Arthur Smith clearly believes Jonnu Smith will help unlock his offense in Pittsburgh, which was hot-and-cold last season and needed players who fit the scheme better for it to progress. Like Ramsey, Jonnu Smith is a versatile player who can be moved around to create favorable matchups. Unlike Ramsey, he is coming off his best season as a pro, with 88 catches and 8 touchdowns.
Fitzpatrick-for-Ramsey is a good debate when it comes to which team got the better player. The addition of Jonnu Smith, however, makes this trade a winner for Pittsburgh.
Quick Hits
– The Dolphins trading for retired tight end Darren Waller to replace Jonnu Smith is a curious move. Waller left the game two years ago, in part because he didn’t want to block anymore. That’s something he actually said out loud, in so many words. Waller has always been a good pass-catcher, but for a Miami team that has been branded soft at times, acquiring a tight end who scoffs at blocking is not going to change that reputation.
– In further Steelers news, the team locked up general manager Omar Khan for the next three years with a contract extension. Pittsburgh is yet to win a playoff game in the Khan era, but his aggressive style is a drastic departure from the deliberate approach they took for two decades under previous GM Kevin Colbert. The results aren’t there yet, but you can’t say Khan isn’t trying to win.
– It’s still hard to fathom the circumstances that led to the death of Steve McNair, who was murdered 16 years ago today. McNair was one of my favorite quarterbacks to watch in his era, in part because he was so unconventional. He looked like a fullback playing quarterback, and nothing he did felt like how you’d train someone to play the position. And yet he was incredibly effective. Such a sad ending to a big life.
Non-Football Thoughts
4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. The combination of summer, friends and family, good food and drink, and a festive atmosphere make it a day I always look forward to. It’s also a holiday I’ve spent in a number of locations over the years. Acadia National Park in Maine. Coos Bay in Oregon. Glacier National Park in Montana. Charlottesville, Virginia. Montecito, California. I’ve spent 4th of July in each of those places, and the celebration has been a blast no matter where we’ve gone. It feels as though this country is as divided as its been in my lifetime these days. But 4th of July is a great opportunity to put those differences aside and just enjoy the day. I hope you can do that today. Cheers to all, and God bless America!
For more on 4th of July celebrations, check out today’s episode of my “Call Sheet Daily” podcast: