A massive trade went down yesterday when the Steelers decided to send Minkah Fitzpatrick and a seventh-round pick to the Dolphins. In exchange, they received Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and a seventh-rounder as well. The out-of-nowhere move caught Pittsburgh defensive lineman Cam Heyward completely off guard. He later shared his true feelings about it on his podcast.
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The Dolphins actually drafted Fitzpatrick in 2018 with the 11th overall pick, and he played his rookie season there. But in 2019, after just two games with Miami, he was shipped out to Steel City for a first-round pick, a season in which he went on to earn first-team All-Pro honors. Five Pro Bowl selections and two more first-team All-Pro nods later, Fitzpatrick is now reuniting with the team that drafted him.
Every football fan was caught off guard by the news, even if just a little. Most thought the Steelers were done making moves this offseason, but it seems they’re going all-in. Still, no one appeared more upset than Cam Heyward, who clearly took Fitzpatrick’s departure to heart.
“I don’t know how I feel about this, it’s bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed playing with him, and I was kind of just shook by it all… I’m excited about the new teammates, but I’m also sad to be losing a guy that I really respect in the locker room,” Heyward stated on Not Just Football.
It’s the tough side of the NFL that players have to endure. But as Heyward would go on to mention, it’s a business. Sometimes friendships and preferences are tossed aside when constructing a roster.
Even still, Heyward made it known that Fitzpatrick was, and still is, an incomparable and essential player.
“I want to be respectful of the new players because they didn’t do anything. It’s just I think you have so much respect for Minkah Fitzpatrick, and you’ve seen him seal games, and you’ve seen him be a game-changer. You never want to lose guys like that,” Heyward expressed.
Not only that, but in Fitzpatrick’s absence, Heyward feels as though others are going to have to step up.
“Other guys are going to have to step up. It was definitely a safety blanket having Minkah make some really game-saving tackles and game-saving plays. It’s not just interceptions, I know people like to get caught up in that. But Minkah is a very smart individual. Takes calculated risks at times, but he is always bought into the team,” he said.
Heyward and Fitzpatrick played alongside each other for six seasons. The former held things down on the front lines in the trenches, while the latter patrolled the back as the last line of defense. Together, at times, they made the Steelers’ secondary unstoppable, giving opposing offenses fits.
But it’s not like the Steelers got a bad return for Fitzpatrick. In fact, they got a star cornerback… and then some.
Heyward on Ramsey and Jonnu
When Heyward eventually got around to evaluating the players his team got in return, he remained positive. After all, Jalen Ramsey is also a former All-Pro with Championship experience. He can even play multiple positions.
“The great thing about Jalen is- he is ball savvy. He’s able to play multiple positions. You’ve seen him play safety, corner, nickel. He provides that flexibility in a defense,” Heyward explained.
Last year, in his age-30 season, Ramsey missed out on his fifth straight Pro Bowl appearance. He still logged 2 interceptions, 11 pass deflections, and 60 tackles. Ramsey has always been viewed as a premier corner in the NFL.
But what about tight end Jonnu Smith? Heyward made sure to share his thoughts on him as well.
“A lot of guys in that position, my brother included. But I think all of them can eat in different ways. I think the main thing is having an offense that stays on the field… Jonnu can play tight end, and he can play fullback as well.”
The positional versatility of Jonnu will go a long way. He’s also reuniting with Arthur Smith, with whom the tight end played in Atlanta a few seasons ago. Surely, teams that rostered Kyle Pitts in fantasy football that year remember that aggravating dynamic between the two tight ends. Well, now he might be stealing touches from Pat Friermuth.
At the end of the day, the trade made sense for both teams. Miami needed a better secondary, especially the back line at safety. And the Steelers needed to make one more big swing to show that they’re all-in.
Now, we’re either going to watch a defensive powerhouse take shape around Ramsey and Heyward in Pittsburgh, or a beautiful disaster will unfold if they’re sitting at .500 after two months. Who knows what could happen? It should be fun to watch.
