Seeing his first action: Steelers fans will see cornerback Jalen Ramsey in action in black and gold for the first time on Thursday night in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.
Ramsey, who was acquired via a trade with the Miami Dolphins, will play along with the rest of the secondary.
Coach Mike Tomlin was asked if he was eager or needed to see the secondary play as a unit, and his answer was ‘both.’
“There’s a fine line between eager and need,” said Tomlin. “But there’s the collective component, a communication component, a coordination component to what they do. And if you get an opportunity to get some snaps versus some really capable people in the stadium, we’d appreciate it.”
That communication is something that was heavily talked about last season, and with newcomers like Ramsey, Darius Slay, Juan Thornhill and Brandin Echols in the secondary, joining Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott, making sure it’s spot on is a key.
“It’s part of the whole journey, part of the plan,” said Ramsey. “Just continuing to work on all the aspects of our game.”
There is much anticipation about seeing the secondary working together, a unit that Ramsey believes can be as good as they want to be.
“No ceiling,” said Ramsey. “I think however we embrace the journey, however the amount of work we put in and how connected we are, hopefully it all shows on Sundays or Mondays or Thursdays, whatever days we play.
“We won’t put a cap on it or a ceiling on it. We’ll just let it be what it’s going to be.”
Ramsey is a player Assistant General Manager Andy Weidl referred to as ‘vicious’ recently.
“I think Jalen Ramsey, he is a vicious player,” said Weidl. “You watch him hit; watch the mentality he plays with. He is aggressive. He’s a violent hitter. That mindset becomes contagious.
“Guys like that, an elite talent like that, elite football IQ in the physicality that he plays with, that becomes contagious. I’ve seen it different places. We have a physical group to begin with and adding a guy like that is just great. I think it just becomes even more contagious to the room when you bring a guy with that mindset and that ability.”
Ramsey acknowledged the comment, knowing that is what you have to be in this sport, and it’s one of the things that he brings that overall is part of his game.
“We’re playing football, so I would hope that’s an accurate description for anybody,” said Ramsey. “I think that I’m here for various reasons. I wouldn’t just put myself in a box of being here for one thing or another.
“I hope it’s contagious. I hope the way that I go out there and go about my business and play the game is contagious on my teammates in a positive way. But I think there’s a bunch of guys out here on this team already who have that. Who have those intangibles anyway, and we’re just trying to put it together and put a good product out on the field.”
Ramsey, who is entering his 10th season in the NFL, is a three-time Associated Press All-Pro selection, earning first-team honors in 2017, 2020 and 2021. He is also a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, earning the honor from 2017-2023.
He has appeared in 135 games, starting 134 of them. He has 534 career tackles, 432 of them solo stops, 108 passes defensed, 27 tackles for a loss, 24 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, three sacks, seven forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. His 108 passes defensed are ranked third among active players since entering the league in 2016, while his 24 interceptions rank fourth.
Ramsey has started 10 postseason games and was part of the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI championship team.
Adjusting to a new defense has apparently been seamless for Ramsey.
“I think it’s been going well,” said Ramsey. “Got some things to work on. Just continue getting better within the playbook in my different positions, but I feel like (it’s going) well so far.”
And that ‘different positions’ comment is something that makes Ramsey so valuable, a versatility that can’t be measured.
“It’s fun. It’s fun for sure,” said Ramsey. “Challenging at times just making sure I’m locked in on the various parts of it, but I enjoy it a lot.
“When you go from different positions, you have to know different roles, different alignments, assignments and different techniques. A couple of those roles I have to communicate frequently, whereas when I’m just playing outside, I don’t really have to communicate as much. I can just lock in on one specific thing. So, I guess that’s what makes it challenging, but it’s fun, it’s cool.”