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In the aftermath of today’s headlining trade, many questions arose concerning the ramifications of the roster changes. Namely, a big one of these questions was centered around the idea of, now that the Steelers have brought in some cornerback help, how do they address the new hole at safety? The answer to that question could come in a couple different forms. 
The simplest answer is the most obvious one: next man up. Earlier in the offseason, Pittsburgh signed Juan Thornhill to serve in a third safety role behind Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott. It was a role that Damontae Kazee filled in 2024, but Kazee was not re-signed after his contract expired. The team could just count on Thornhill, who has started 74 of 87 game appearances in his six-year career, to step up next to Elliott, but Pittsburgh may have other ideas.
Jalen Ramsey has been an outstanding outside cornerback throughout his professional career, playing about 80 percent of his NFL snaps at the position, but he’s excelled elsewhere in the past. As one of the top recruits in Florida State’s 2013 signing class, Ramsey played a big role for a true freshman as one of the school’s two starting safeties. The following year Ramsey led the Seminoles defense with most of his snaps coming in the slot. In his final collegiate season, Ramsey played most of his defensive snaps at outside cornerback.
He stayed at outside corner for most of his NFL career, starting in Jacksonville. After a move to Los Angeles, the Rams decided to start giving him some more work in the slot in his sixth NFL season. In the slot, his coverage abilities allowed him to stay with receivers on the inside, but his size allowed him to cover tight ends and stop the run. His versatile usage in college prepared him perfectly for that role, and it resulted in All-Pro honors and a Super Bowl.
ESPN’s Ben Solak speculates that a full-time move to “safety might maximize Ramsey’s remaining athleticism and football intelligence.” Mark Kaboly from The Pat McAfee Show speculates that the Steelers may see more value in Ramsey’s versatility and use him in a hybrid role that sees him playing at outside corner, nickelback, and safety. NFL Insider Josina Anderson went even further, asserting that, barring the future addition of another a true free safety, Pittsburgh could field a base defense with three cornerbacks and one safety on the field.
Where most teams’ base defense would feature two of each position with an additional cornerback coming onto the field in packages that require more defensive backs, Anderson believes that the Steelers could field a secondary with Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. at cornerback, Elliott at strong safety, and Ramsey at free, until they need to run with five in the secondary, in which case Ramsey would shift up into the nickel or outside cornerback role, allowing Thornhill to come in at safety. Or, perhaps, Ramsey stays at safety, and the fifth defensive back is last year’s primary nickelback, Beanie Bishop.
There are many possible solutions to this equation. Adding Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the roster certainly made the team better, albeit a bit older and more expensive. Pittsburgh has had a busy offseason buying several new (used) toys from Aaron Rodgers to DK Metcalf to Robert Woods to Slay and Ramsey. Now it’s up to the league’s longest-tenured head coach to make sure all his new toys play well together.