When the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Jalen Ramsey in the summer of 2025, they had a specific plan for him. Along with Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay, the Steelers hoped that a cornerback trio featuring Ramsey would silence NFL offenses.
That’s where Ramsey was to start the year, but the trio never lived up to expectations. As a result, Ramsey moved to safety mid-season.
Ramsey’s role now seems up in the air with a new coaching staff. To Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly, Ramsey’s plan for 2026 could look similar to what the Steelers originally hoped for in 2025.
“I think what you saw, from those first five to six games before Elliott got hurt, is where you’re gonna see him. Funny thing is, Brisker can do very much of the same. Other than, I don’t think Brisker can play corner,” Kaboly said Friday on 93.7 The Fan.
Ramsey got some occasional reps at safety to start the season, as most of the secondary got off to a slow start. But once DeShon Elliott went down with a season-ending injury, Jalen Ramsey moved to safety for the majority of the rest of the year. Considering the difficulties that come with moving to a different position, he did a solid job.
However, the Steelers have hinted toward a more versatile role this offseason. Speaking months ago, Mike McCarthy highlighted Ramsey’s versatility, something he strongly desires on both sides of the ball.
Ramsey has been good as a nickel corner for much of his career. Thus, moving back and forth seemed like something that would be on the cards.
The Steelers don’t have a ton of depth at nickel corner. Brandin Echols can play the slot and had some nice moments at nickel last year. Potentially even third-round pick Daylen Everette, who’s learning the nickel position as well. But when Ramsey is on his game, his ceiling is certainly higher than those two.
If Ramsey does spend most of his time at cornerback, that will make things interesting for Jaquan Brisker. He’s capable of playing deeper down the field.
But maybe the Steelers put both Brisker and Ramsey in the box at once. If Ramsey isn’t going to move around as much as we thought, that could allow the Steelers to be more creative with Brisker instead.
There’s still a long way to go until the season starts. Training camp will be the first real glimpse at how the new staff intends to use Jalen Ramsey.
For now, Kaboly seems to think nickel corner is a the most-likely scenario.
