While on 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show on Monday, Steelers insider Mark Kaboly proposed the Steelers are at least interested in hearing about what it could cost to acquire Ramsey.
“I bet you they’re listening,” Kaboly said. “I mean, the salary is not bad. It’s a one-year deal really, right? Because I think he has no guarantees past this year.
“Now people say where do you put him? I don’t care.”
Ramsey’s current contract doesn’t expire until after the 2028 season. That’s because the Miami Dolphins signed him to a three-year, $72.3 million extension last September.
But he does have an out in the contract next offseason. The $18.5 million dead cap hit isn’t ideal, but a team is likely to pay that rather than have Ramsey for about a $25 million cap hit in 2026.
With the ability to move on from Ramsey next year, Kaboly clearly sees him as a Steelers target even though the team already added a new starting cornerback this offseason.
Where Would Steelers Place Jalen Ramsey?
Steelers fans calling for the team to acquire Ramsey seem to be overlooking the fact Pittsburgh signed Darius Slay this offseason. Slay is 34 years old, but like Ramsey, he is a former All-Pro and multi-Pro Bowl nominee.
Slay has already talked about starting with fellow Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. this season.
Kaboly is one of the few Ramsey-Steelers trade advocates to at least indirectly address the team current top two cornerbacks. And according to the insider, the Steelers should acquire Ramsey and then simply worry about where he will play later.
Otherwise, Kaboly doesn’t feel great about how the team’s cornerbacks look on paper.
“I’m not confident, absolutely not,” Kaboly added of the secondary. “I think there’s potential.
“That’s probably, more than offensive line, more than quarterback, is the one you gotta really, really look at. It could go south in a hurry.”
Like Slay, Ramsey is in his thirties. But Ramsey is younger and has more recently earned an All-Pro nomination. Both veterans made the Pro Bowl in 2024.
Steelers Interested in Ramsey But Weren’t With Jaire Alexander?
The Steelers-Ramsey trade rumors appeared to be dying over the weekend because in Jaire Alexander reports for several days, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter made no reference to the Steelers being interested.
Alexander signed with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency last week. Fowler reported the veteran considered the Atlanta Falcons and Dolphins before going to Baltimore. Schefter reported on June 18 the Carolina Panthers pursued Alexander.
Since the Steelers apparently weren’t in on Alexander, it seems a little odd Kaboly sees them trying to land Ramsey.
“When asked about recent Baltimore Ravens signing Jaire Alexander, Kaboly said he didn’t hear any buzz linking him to the Steelers,” wrote Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle. “Don’t you think they would have tried to pursue the free agent option that ended up signing for pretty cheap before pursuing the expensive trade option in Ramsey?
“Skipping over Alexander and going straight to Ramsey doesn’t make a ton of sense if the Steelers actually do want to upgrade the secondary.”
That’s a very valid point. The praise the Steelers are giving some of their lesser-known cornerbacks also indicates the team is content with the current cornerback room.
Specifically, Steelers general manager Omar Khan was recently very complimentary of the team’s seventh-round rookie cornerback Donte Kent.
“Another guy that’s got a really good opportunity,” Khan said in Friday’s episode of the team’s doc-series, The Standard. “We expect him to contribute sooner rather than later.”
While it does make sense that the Steelers would listen in Ramsey trade discussions, there’s no indication that Pittsburgh is very motivated to make a deal happen right now.
