The Cleveland Browns will look to rebound from a 3-14 season and they’ll have to do it in the evolving landscape of the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens are favored as division champions behind perennial MVP candidate Lamar Jackson while the Cincinnati Bengals can’t seem to get out of their own way to help franchise quarterback Joe Burrow.
While the Bengals and Ravens each have a claim to the throne, the Pittsburgh Steelers are trying to force their way into the conversation. The Steelers have added Aaron Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf in their annual pursuit of a .500 record and they took another step toward creating a retirement home after a blockbuster trade on Monday morning.
Browns Watched Steelers Get Even Older with Jalen Ramsey Trade
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey announced on his social media account on Monday morning that he has been traded from the Miami Dolphins to the Pittsburgh Steelers. ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reports that the Dolphins will receive Minkah Fitzpatrick in a player-for-player deal, which is another step toward turning one of the Browns’ biggest rivals into a retirement home.
ESPN sources: Steelers traded three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins in exchange for three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 30, 2025
The rare player-for-player trade, and another trade.
Ramsey is a piece to the Steelers’ offseason puzzle as they look to erase the memory of last season. The Steelers began last year with a 10-3 record but lost their final four games of the regular season before dropping a Wild Card playoff game to the Ravens in January.
Although the Steelers were the third-oldest team in the NFL with an average age of 26.81 years at the beginning of last season, their solution has been to add even more veterans entering 2025. Metcalf (27) was the Steelers’ blockbuster addition in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks back in March and Pittsburgh went all-in on a pursuit of Aaron Rodgers (41) that finally ended with his signing in June.
While Ramsey, who will turn 31 in October, is still an effective cornerback allowing 46 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and five pass breakups on 65 targets last season, he gets swapped out for Fitzpatrick, who enters his age 28 season. The Steelers could also move Ramsey to safety, making a true one-for-one swap that makes them older at another starting position.
The Browns have their own issues to sort out including whether they’ll have their own 40-year-old starting at quarterback. But the Steelers’ defense is aging by the minute with T.J. Watt (30), Cam Heyward (36), Darius Slay (34) and Ramsey all on the wrong side of 30. Having a veteran presence could prevent the collapse Pittsburgh endured last season, but If things fall apart, it could open the door for the Browns to at least get out of the cellar in the AFC North this season.