Miami Dolphins

In a swap of former All-Pro defensive backs on Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a draft pick swap.

Ramsey posted about the trade, which includes the Steelers’ 2027 fifth-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for a seventh-round pick, on social media. “Breaking my own news!” he wrote alongside a celebratory announcement video on Instagram.

The deal ended persistent speculation that Ramsey might be traded to the Rams, for whom he played from 2019-22. At the Rams’ mini-camp in Maui two weeks ago, coach Sean McVay downplayed the chance of acquiring the three-time All-Pro, who is due to earn $26.6 million this season. Ramsey’s salary-cap number will increase substantially in the next few seasons, according to Overthecap.com.

“Usually, those are scenarios and situations that you have to have plans in place prior to executing some of the decisions that have occurred,” McVay said, perhaps referencing the contract adjustment that quarterback Matthew Stafford received and the signing of free-agent receiver Davante Adams. “Definitely don’t want to rule anything out … but there would be some obstacles that are real that are in the place of maybe preventing that from occurring.”

Rams cornerbacks include returning starters Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon, with Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr., Josh Wallace and Derion Kendrick competing for playing time.

Smith — who enjoyed a career year in 2024 with 88 catches and eight touchdowns for the Dolphins — will receive a one-year contract extension worth $12 million. He joins returning starter Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington at tight end in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have prioritized improving at cornerback this offseason, signing free agent Darius Slay Jr. in addition to trading for Ramsey, who has 24 career interceptions. Incumbent starter Joey Porter Jr. also returns.

The Steelers had grown disenchanted with Fitzpatrick, who was named All-Pro in 2019, 2020 and 2022 but had only one interception in the last two seasons after moving from free safety to strong safety.

Fitzpatrick was drafted 11th overall in 2018. The Dolphins traded him to the Steelers two games into the 2019 season along with fourth- and seventh-round picks for first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks.

The Rams made a move in their secondary, but it was not an addition.

Cornerback Derion Kendrick, sidelined last season after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament during training camp, was waived, the team announced Friday.

Kendrick, a sixth-round draft pick in 2022, participated in the Rams’ offseason program and organized team activities. He was scheduled to earn $3.4 million this season, according to Overthecap.com.

The secondary is something of a question mark for a Rams team that is regarded as a potential Super Bowl contender.

After finishing 10-7 and advancing to the NFC divisional round last season, the Rams neither signed a cornerback during free agency nor drafted one.

Veterans Darious Williams, 32, and Ahkello Witherspoon, 32, are the projected starting cornerbacks. Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Josh Wallace are among others expected to play.

When asked, coach Sean McVay has not ruled out the possibility of trading for Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI. But Ramsey is due to earn $24.2 million this season and will have a salary-cap number of at least $25 million in the following three seasons, according to Overthecap.com. McVay has repeatedly pointed to “a lot of layers” that would have to be addressed for a reunion with Ramsey to take place.

Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander was recently released by the Green Bay Packers.

“Nothing but respect for the player but I don’t know if that’s a direction we would go,” McVay said this week about Alexander.

Kendrick played in 32 games for the Rams. He started six games as a rookie and 12 in 2023. He intercepted one pass.