Monday brought one of the biggest trades in modern NFL history, the Pittsburgh Steelers sending FS Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins for CB Jalen Ramsey, TE Jonnu Smith, and an exchange of 2027 Day Three draft picks. The dust still has plenty of time to settle and the winning and losing sides of this deal will be examined throughout the season. Who are the Steelers\u2019 internal winners and losers, players on the roster benefitting the most from the flurry of moves?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n
WINNERS
\nQB Aaron Rodgers\/OC Arthur Smith<\/p>\n
Easy choices here. Rodgers lands another target in TE Jonnu Smith, who the team will view as an offensive weapon and pass-catcher more than just a tight end. Smith reunites with one of his favorite players of his NFL tenure, someone drafted in Tennessee when Smith served as tight ends coach and later offensive coordinator, and then brought to Atlanta<\/a> when he worked as the Falcons\u2019 head coach.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh ran the second-most 13 personnel last year but were ineffective in results. With Smith, they get a lot stronger and have arguably the best NFL trio in football.<\/p>\n S Juan Thornhill<\/p>\n How Pittsburgh plans to replace Fitzpatrick isn\u2019t fully clear. But Thornhill figures to be in that conversation and at the least, could see an increase in sub-package snaps. Signed to a one-year deal after two unsuccessful seasons in Pittsburgh, he could work in \u201cbig nickel\u201d packages in addition to possibly seeing snaps at free safety. The Steelers adding someone like Justin Simmons could change Thornhill\u2019s standing but it\u2019s hard to see how Fitzpatrick\u2019s departure hurts Thornhill\u2019s opportunities.<\/p>\n It makes him one of the Steelers\u2019 winners.<\/p>\n Losers
\nTE Connor Heyward<\/p>\n