The Pittsburgh Steelers were supposed to have a lockdown group of star cornerbacks this season. Unfortunately, some of their offseason moves didn’t pan out. For example, Darius Slay was waived a few weeks ago. Also, Jalen Ramsey moved to safety full time in the middle of the season. However, he’s been elite there, with his work earning him a Pro Bowl selection. That put a big smile on defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s face.
“It was neat,” Austin said Wednesday via transcript provided by the team. “It was good. I was really excited for him because I thought that just to me shows a pretty unselfish guy. Because I’m sure, when he came here, the goal was not to play him at safety. So, by necessity, he ended up there, and he embraced it.
“It’s great to see a guy have success like that, so I’m really happy for him. As a player, it just kind of goes to show, when you’re unselfish and you love the game and you’ll do what you want for the team, a lot of times success will follow you. Again, just really excited for him. I think he’s excited about it as well.”
The Steelers’ secondary got decimated by injuries in the middle of the season. They were particularly thin at safety going into Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts. That forced them to move Ramsey there, and also start Kyle Dugger, whom they had just traded for.
However, that turned out to be a happy accident for the Steelers. Ramsey and Dugger solidified the Steelers’ secondary. That unit looked lost at times before that. Part of that was because it lacked consistency. There were a lot of moving pieces, and that created some instability.
Austin has pointed to Ramsey’s move to safety as a big reason for the Steelers’ defensive turnaround. While he’s previously made seven Pro Bowls, this is his first selection at a position other than corner. That speaks to how talented he is. He made the position change during the season and hasn’t missed a beat. That’s not normal.
When the Steelers traded for Ramsey, there was an understanding that he’d eventually transition to safety. However, he was still getting a lot of work at corner. Ramsey hadn’t played significant snaps at safety since college. Despite that, he doesn’t look out of place.
That might remind some Steelers fans of Rod Woodson. He was one of the best corners in the league with the Steelers. However, he moved to safety a few years after leaving Pittsburgh in order to extend his career.
That worked out well for him, Woodson making four more Pro Bowls and being named an All-Pro two more times. Perhaps Ramsey will experience similar longevity. He’s only dipped a toe into this pool. It would be great for the Steelers if Ramsey can become one of the best safeties in the league.
