The Pittsburgh Steelers hoped Jalen Ramsey would complete their cornerback room when they added him to the squad. Nearly a year later, that hasn’t happened.
Ramsey struggled as an outside cornerback last year. His athleticism is clearly on the decline, making him a liability against top receivers. The team moved Ramsey inside to the slot and eventually to safety to counter this and due to need.
Free Agency and Draft Hint at Ramsey’s Position
Heading into 2026, there were questions about the team’s plans for Ramsey this year. Following their free agency splashes and pre-draft trail, it seems his role is crystal clear.
Ramsey is going to be an overpaid slot cornerback who may kick out to safety.
The Steelers signed Jamel Dean early in free agency. This signalled that the team didn’t want Ramsey even sniffing around as an outside cornerback. The team also brought back Asante Samuel Jr., providing the next man up at the position.
The Steelers added Jaquan Brisker to provide another safety to the room, and it feels like he should see a healthy amount of snaps in some sort of safety rotation.
Slot Cornerback First, Safety Second
Pittsburgh hasn’t made their draft selections yet, but their interest has been heavily in outside cornerbacks as they have visited with both of the Washington freakishly tall corners. This leaves the team needing Ramsey in the slot first.
A safety also isn’t out of the question. It feels like another defensive back will be added before day three of the draft.
Unless a notable name is brought in, it feels like Ramsey is going to be a slot cornerback first. Given his price tag, it feels like he will see snaps on base defense as a safety, but beyond that, he becomes the highest-paid slot defender in the league.
He certainly doesn’t feel worth it, but he’s stuck here after the team paid out his roster bonus earlier this year. That doesn’t mean he is worth the cost, though.
Concerns Over Ramsey’s Performance and Value
Ramsey certainly hasn’t worked out as many fans had hoped. For a long time, Ramsey was one of the best cornerbacks in the league, but his decline last year was obvious. Now, he feels like a massively overpriced option for this team, who may get squeezed off the team sooner than later.