Trade grades: Evaluating the Steelers-Dolphins blockbuster

How's this for a way to spice up the NFL's summer break?

The long-awaited Jalen Ramsey move came down Monday morning, with initial reports indicating that the Miami Dolphins had finally found a trade parter in the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the star corner was only one part of what turned out to be a blockbuster deal.

Pittsburgh will also get tight end Jonnu Smith while sending three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick the other way. Full terms of the swap are below.

Let's break it down from each side.

Steelers

The Steelers are all-in on trying to win in 2025. While that may prove to be a little ambitious with this version of Aaron Rodgers under center, we have no choice but to respect the effort. This is exactly how Pittsburgh should be following up its gamble on the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer. Consider it a pleasant surprise, given the conservative way in which this team has typically done business.

Ramsey figures to be an outstanding addition to the defensive backfield. He turns 31 in October, so there is some risk of a steep drop-off in the near future. But he was still playing at a high level last season in Miami. And with Darius Slay and Joey Porter Jr. already in the mix at corner, he could be headed for a slot-heavy role that may well be the ideal way to prolong an incredible career.

Don't rule out further steps in the Charles Woodson career arc, either. Fitzpatrick's surprise departure leaves a void at safety, and Ramsey has the smarts, athleticism, and tackling skills to make an impact from any spot in the secondary.

Smith isn't quite the same level of game-changer, and tight end probably wasn't the most glaring need for this offense. But the Steelers were evidently seeking playmakers wherever they could get them. The 29-year-old is coming off a career year in Miami, where he racked up 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. He was particularly effective with the ball in his hands, ranking fourth among all tight ends with 510 yards after the catch.

Adding that kind of ability as a complement to the possession skills of Pat Freiermuth gives the Steelers an interesting one-two-punch at the position. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is a big fan of heavy personnel, and he's plenty familiar with his new tight end's capabilities, having coached him at previous stops in both Tennessee and Atlanta.

Giving up Fitzpatrick does take a bit of steam out of this deal overall, as he's long been one of the leaders of a consistently strong Steelers defense. But there were some real signs of him slowing down over the last two years. The 28-year-old has recorded just one interception since posting a league-best six picks in 2022, and he's coming off a season in which he allowed five touchdowns and a career-worst 132.1 passer rating in coverage, according to PFF.

The $15.5 million in 2025 cap savings will help cover the arrivals of Ramsey and Smith while also allowing the Steelers to maintain some additional flexibility ahead of camp. If it's all about 2025 in Pittsburgh, there are still some interesting options when it comes to rounding out the roster and giving this team a real chance to compete.

Could the Steelers replace Fitzpatrick with a veteran free agent like Justin Simmons? The 31-year-old, who has earned second-team All-Pro honors on four separate occasions, fits this short-term timeline. And what about another receiver alongside offseason trade acquisition DK Metcalf? Rodgers would certainly appreciate the route-running skills of an Amari Cooper or Keenan Allen. Gabe Davis was recently in Pittsburgh for a visit, too.

Threading the needle with an overwhelmingly veteran roster will be no easy task in a loaded AFC. But for a team that has so consistently done nothing with its high floor for competitiveness under Mike Tomlin, why not give it a shot before the potential rebuild that lies ahead? If nothing else, the Steelers are going to be a fascinating watch this season. It's been a while.

Grade: B+

Dolphins

This deal isn't easy to piece together from the Dolphins' perspective.

Ramsey's exit had long been in the works, so there's no surprise there. It's never going to be easy to part with a player of his caliber, though. That's especially true when the move comes just one season after a three-year extension that had, at the time, made him the highest-paid cornerback in football. The Dolphins will be taking on dead-money hits from that deal for each of the next two seasons.

Smith is the weird one here. There had been some rumblings about trade talks in the spring - apparently a result of the veteran tight end seeking a new contract after his first Pro Bowl nod. Having established himself as an outstanding fit in the Dolphins' offense, it's tough to understand why he was facing so much resistance for a new deal in Miami.

The asking price clearly wasn't going to be all that prohibitive, as the 29-year-old is getting a one-year, $12-million extension upon arrival in Pittsburgh. A short-term commitment with an annual salary that ties for ninth among all tight ends seems more than reasonable.

Maybe the Dolphins simply liked Fitzpatrick enough to part with both Ramsey and Smith. Safety did indeed become a glaring need after they lost Jevon Holland in free agency. Reuniting with their former first-round pick, who was traded to Pittsburgh early in his sopohomore season in 2019, is a pretty fun way to make a splash at that spot.

But Fitzpatrick's game has been trending in the wrong direction of late, and now the Dolphins have major needs to fill at both cornerback and tight end. Striking a deal with Asante Samuel Jr. could be a step in the right direction to address the former. But signing a player who is only available because of offseason neck surgery also comes with plenty of risk.

And while the Dolphins are reportedly turning to the trade market in an effort to replace Smith, it's tough to imagine they'll be able to find a player who provides such a seamless fit as a high-volume pass-catcher. Smith was second only to Tyreek Hill among Dolphins players with 111 targets last season.

Miami deserves some credit for landing Fitzpatrick in a deal that easily could have ended up as Ramsey and Smith in exchange for a few mid-round pick swaps. But the roster is still moving in the wrong direction on both sides of the ball, and this trade doesn't give them any sort of relief from a precarious cap situation. That's not going to help matters in what could be a make-or-break season for this staff.

Nobody should be surprised if we're right back here at the midseason mark, with the Dolphins playing a central role in trade deadline festivities. And not in a good way.

Grade: C

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.