Author: Adam La Rose

Part of the Jalen Ramsey–Minkah Fitzpatrick blockbuster will see the Dolphins and Steelers agree to another swap. Tight end Jonnu Smith is headed to Pittsburgh.

With the dust having settled on all portions of this singular trade, here are the full details (courtesy of NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport):

Steelers receive:

• Ramsey
• Smith
• 2027 seventh-round pick

Dolphins receive:

• Fitzpatrick
• 2027 fifth-round pick

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Smith will receive a one-year, $12MM extension upon arrival in Pittsburgh, allowing him to earn a raise as hoped. Finances were a sticking point between he and the Dolphins. Smith preferred to remain in Miami, but after enjoying a career year and setting a new franchise record for tight end production he aimed to parlay his play into a new pact.

On more than one occasion, the Steelers emerged as a potential landing spot for Smith in the event no new Dolphins pact could be worked out. Talks on a Miami extension took place, but the 29-year-old’s absence from minicamp was a sign this situation could end in a change of scenery. After only one year with the Dolphins, Smith is indeed on the move once again. Of course, today’s news means he is in store for another reunion with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Jonnu and Arthur Smith worked together with the Titans and again when they were alongside each other with the Falcons. The latter took on OC duties in Pittsburgh last season, overseeing an offense which used both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields at quarterback. QB1 duties are now held by Aaron Rodgers, who will likely retire after this season. The Steelers are certainly not being shy in terms of notable moves on both sides of the ball in preparation for the coming campaign.

Pittsburgh already has Pat Freiermuth in place at the tight end spot. The former second-rounder is under contract through 2028, something which made a potential Smith move a somewhat awkward one. Now that it is in place, though, the Steelers can be expected to lean heavily on two-tight end sets. With uncertainly looming over the team’s WR options aside from D.K. Metcalf, Smith will give Pittsburgh a veteran pass-catching option.

The former third-rounder posted a statline of 88-884-8 last season, leading to his first career Pro Bowl nod. Expectations will be high for Smith with his fifth NFL team given his production and the fact he will be in a familiar scheme. For the Dolphins, meanwhile, Ramsey’s departure has created a notable vacancy at the CB position; the loss of Smith will likewise leave the team short on experienced tight ends.

The 2025 offseason has seen a major exodus in terms of veterans in Miami, by means of free agent departures, releases and trades. As the Dolphins look to bounce back from last year’s underwhelming campaign, they will do so with a slew of new faces on both sides of the ball. Smith is now under contract for the next two years. He will look to operate as a complementary option for Rodgers and Co. as Pittsburgh takes a run at a Super Bowl in 2025.

The Jalen Ramsey trade saga is coming to an end. The All-Pro corner is on the move, but not out west as many predicted.

The Dolphins have reached agreement with the Steelers on a Ramsey swap, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Pittsburgh recently emerged as the most recent team likely to be eliminated from the list of landing spots in this case, but a trade has nevertheless been worked out. Ramsey will receive a $1.5MM bump in pay as part of this deal.

Adding an unexpected layer to this blockbuster deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is headed the other way in the swap. Fitzpatrick began his career in Miami, and the former first-rounder was dealt to the Steelers in 2019. He will now return to his original team for 2025.

[RELATED: Steelers To Acquire, Extend TE Jonnu Smith]

Rapoport notes the Rams and Steelers were the two main Ramsey suitors, with Los Angeles long representing the expected destination in this situation. He adds Pittsburgh was out of the running until very recently, but that has obviously changed rather quickly. Ramsey himself has confirmed that he is headed to the Steelers, which will be his fourth career team.

The three-time All-Pro spent the past two seasons in Miami, rebounding from his injury-shortened 2023 campaign to play a full slate last year. Ramsey appeared set to remain in South Beach for the foreseeable future when he agreed to a lucrative extension last offseason, but a falling out with head coach Mike McDaniel led to the mutual decision a parting of ways would be best. Ramsey was on the trade block through the spring, but the list of suitors publicly expressing interest proved to be rather short.

Rams head coach Sean McVay made it clear the team was open to a Ramsey reunion (after he helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2021). Finances were a sticking point in this case, however. The seven-time Pro Bowler has already received a $4MM roster bonus from Miami, but his outstanding $21MM-plus in compensation for the year is guaranteed. Ramsey is on the books for another three yeas after the coming campaign, but an adjustment to his pact has been expected upon arrival with an acquiring team.

Despite a limited market emerging, the Dolphins remained steadfast in their desire to move on from Ramsey. The 30-year-old has proven to be one of the league’s top corners over the course of his career, although age will become a concern during his Steelers tenure. Nonetheless, Pittsburgh’s CB depth chart now includes another standout veteran after the team added Darius Slay in free agency. Those two will join returnee Joey Porter Jr. in a secondary which will look much different in 2025.

Fitzpatrick only played 18 games during his first Dolphins tenure. Expectations were high for the former No. 11 pick, but his departure came about as part of the team’s maneuvering in advance of the 2020 draft (which brought about the selection of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa). Upon arrival in Pittsburgh, Fitzpatrick shone and earned first-team All-Pro honors. He remained productive through the following years.

However, things took an unwanted turn following the 2022 campaign (one in which Fitzpatrick recorded a league-leading six interceptions). Over the past two seasons, the Alabama product has been limited to just one pick and seven pass deflections while operating in different areas on the field. A five-time Pro Bowler, Fitzpatrick will aim to return to his previous form during his second Dolphins stint. His original team has a notable vacancy at the cornerback spot, but he will provide starting play at the safety position.

Two years remain on Fitzpatrick’s contract, and he is set to carry cap charges of $22.36MM and $24.46MM as things stand. With none of his remaining base salaries guaranteed, the Steelers will create $15.5MM in savings while generating a dead money charge of only $6.86MM. Those figures will help absorb the incoming Ramsey pact.

Pittsburgh has made a number of aggressive moves this offseason, deviating from standard operating procedure. The additions of Aaron Rodgers and D.K Metcalf were aimed at upgrading on offense, a unit which has been further augmented with today’s blockbuster. Ramsey will aim to further fuel the team’s Super Bowl aspirations for what will likely be a one-and-done Rodgers season. The Dolphins, meanwhile, will move forward in 2025 with a much different core in terms of veterans on both sides of the ball.

Earlier this offseason, Steelers owner Art Rooney II made it clear the team would prioritize selecting a quarterback early in the 2025 or ’26 draft. GM Omar Khan and Co. then waited until the sixth-round to add a passer (Will Howard) in April while awaiting a commitment on the part of Aaron Rodgers.

In time for minicamp, Rodgers did indeed ink a one-year deal with the Steelers. The future Hall of Famer views the coming campaign as his last in the NFL, so the team will once again be on the lookout for a new starter next year. It would come as no surprise if the draft was used as a means of filling that vacancy.

Indeed, Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show notes the Steelers still plan on using their first-round pick in 2026 on a signal-caller. Plenty of time remains for things to change on that front, but a Rodgers retirement would leave Pittsburgh with Howard and Mason Rudolph in place. The latter has been viewed as a backup through much of his Steelers tenure, and upon reuniting with the team in March he was informed of Pittsburgh’s intentions regarding a starting-caliber addition.

Howard’s rookie contract runs through 2028, while Rudolph’s second Steelers stint came about as a result of the two-year deal he signed this spring. Both passers represent reasonable backup options for this season and the next, but free agency and/or the trade market will present opportunities for a veteran QB1 move. Pittsburgh was among the teams interested in Matthew Stafford earlier this offseason and – until it became clear a Rodgers deal was set to take place – Kirk Cousins.

A short-term veteran acquisition could certainly be feasible depending on how the quarterback landscape takes shape next spring. Still, adding a QB via the draft could set the Steelers up for long-term stability and thus provide them with a true Ben Roethlisberger successor. Rodgers is set to become the seventh different Pittsburgh starter since Roethlisberger’s retirement, and even raising the team’s floor on offense in a one-and-done campaign would still leave the need for an eighth in 2026.

Pittsburgh will host next year’s draft, and the possibility of a new starting quarterback being selected would certainly add intrigue regarding the Steelers’ approach to the event. Over the course of the coming campaign, it will be interesting to see if the team’s plans deviate.

Retirement was floated as an option for much of the 2025 offseason in Aaron Rodgers‘ case. The future Hall of Famer will suit up for the Steelers this year, but it would come as a surprise if he did so in Pittsburgh or anywhere else after that.

During his latest appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said he is “pretty sure” 2025 will be his final NFL season (video link). At the age of 41, he expectedly took a one-year pact earlier this month to take over starting duties with the Steelers. Today’s remarks all-but confirm the third chapter of his career will be a one-and-done endeavor.

“It’s been a long run and I’ve enjoyed it,” Rodgers added. “What better place to finish than in one of the cornerstone franchises of the NFL?”

2025 will mark Rodgers’ 21st season in the NFL and his 18th as a starting quarterback. A four-time MVP during his Packers tenure, things did not go according to plan upon being traded to the Jets. Rodgers suffered an Achilles tear four snaps into his New York debut, and a comeback attempt proved unnecessary with the team out of postseason contention in December. 2024 brought about a full slate of games, although he struggled with a number of ailments while only managing a partial return to his previous form.

Not long after the replacements for the Robert Saleh-Joe Douglas regime arrived, the decision was made to proceed with a Rodgers release. Conversations between team and player on that front did not result in an amicable parting of ways, but if left Rodgers free to contemplate his next opportunity. The Super Bowl winner spoke with the Giants and Vikings while also giving thought to ending his career. In the end, though, connections with the Steelers resulted in a visit and a long-running expectation a deal would be worked out. Pittsburgh remained patient, waiting until after the draft concluded and OTAs took place to finalize his pact.

As a result, Rodgers will become the Steelers’ seventh different signal-caller to start a game since Ben Roethlisberger retired. The team’s efforts to find a genuine successor have not yielded much in the way of success, and the Rodgers investment is of course a short-term bid to elevate Pittsburgh’s ceiling on offense. Even if this latest move works out well, a new long-term investment will be needed at the position next spring.

The Steelers reunited with Mason Rudolph in free agency, but he was informed at the time a starting-caliber addition was still being sought out. With no agreement being reached to keep 2024 passers Justin Fields or Russell Wilson in the fold, an outside addition proved necessary. Other veterans – such as Matthew Stafford – were higher on Pittsburgh’s priority list, but as expected he worked out a new Rams arrangement. Rodgers thus represented one of the preferable options regarding a one-year experiment.

The 10-time Pro Bowler is now three years removed from his most recent MVP campaign, and mobility will be an obvious area of concern for his debut Pittsburgh season. A healthy run of games could provide the Steelers with the chance to end their drought regarding playoff wins, though. Regardless of how things play out, a retirement announcement following the 2025 season is even likelier now than it already was.