The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a massive, team-changing trade on Monday that added two players at positions of need, while subtracting one that leaves a major question mark on the back end of the defense.
Along with a late-round pick swap, the Steelers and Dolphins exchanged a total of three players, with tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey going to Pittsburgh, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick going to Miami.
The Steelers did have uncertainty at cornerback, and more specifically, in the slot, a position Ramsey is capable of playing. Pittsburgh also had a need for more pass-catcher help after the trade of George Pickens, so Smith helps there.
Dealing Fitzpatrick leaves the Steelers with a hole at safety. It remains to be seen if they will address that in free agency or via trade, or if they'll stick with an in-house option.
Whatever the case may be, experts have weighed in on the surprising trade, with several handing out grades for the blockbuster deal.
Here's how the Steelers fared.
Steelers trade grades
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: A+
Iyer: "Having Slay, Ramsey and Porter together also gives them a different kind of versatility and depth while getting strong against wide receivers on the outside. Ramsey is 30 and will turn 31 in October, but he still played at a high level last season. Meanwhile, the Steelers could sense that Fitzpatrick was fading at 28, not the same active defender when they first aquired him from the Dolphins in 2019... As for tight Jonnu Smith, who had a career-high 88 catches for 884 yards and 8 TDs with the Dolphins, he reunites with his former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who holds that same position with the Steelers. He gives them more of a receiving threat to complement Pat Freiermuth so he can employ more effective 12 personnel sets (two tight ends) to support QB Aaron Rodgers."
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAY: B
Middlehurst-Schwartz: "Maybe the doubling down in Pittsburgh isn't so much a bet on Rodgers as it is on Mike Tomlin finding a way to bring all these disparate pieces together. Regardless, it's a lot of upheaval – even if it largely appears for the better – for the coach to navigate."
Breech: "The Steelers are likely only going to have one season with Aaron Rodgers and they appear to be doing their best to make sure that they can win a Super Bowl while he's in Pittsburgh."
Auman: "Ramsey, 30, is a seven-time Pro Bowl corner who is among the league’s highest-paid defensive backs. To get him, the Steelers gave up Fitzpatrick, 28, himself a five-time Pro Bowl selection, now returning to the team that drafted him. Smith, 29, is coming off a career year and Pro Bowl season, catching 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. He will be reunited with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who coached him with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons."