The Pittsburgh Steelers have to shake some things up in 2025 — whether that involves notable changes within head coach Mike Tomlin’s staff, or a big player move on the roster side of the equation.
Following the playoff loss on Wild Card Weekend, one trade suggestion has been making the rounds in Pittsburgh, and it would certainly fit the description of “shaking things up.” The theory? The Steelers should trade star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for draft capital and better allocation of cap space.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contributor Paul Zeise discussed this idea on January 13, urging the Steelers to be “bolder” this offseason.
“The defense is where I would start,” Zeise wrote. “It’s not good enough, and there is way too much money tied up in it. The secondary needs a complete overhaul, and the place to start is finding someone willing to trade draft picks for Minkah Fitzpatrick. He is a luxury item and not worth the salary he is being paid.”
“Trade him, free up the money, get a couple of picks back and invest in cornerbacks,” the Pittsburgh personality concluded.
Similarly, The Athletic’s Steelers correspondent Mike DeFabo agreed that the Steelers should consider trading the playmaking safety that has a contract worth approximately $73 million.
“Trade Minkah Fitzpatrick and reinvest the return on offense to build a more balanced roster,” DeFabo wrote on January 14.
Reasoning: “The Steelers’ all-in approach on defense simply isn’t working. It’s time to create a more balanced roster. Trading a 28-year-old Pro Bowler like Fitzpatrick might be the best way to achieve it.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick’s Lessened Impact Over Past 2 Steelers Seasons Makes Him Expendable, Says Reporter
DeFabo continued on with his justification for a Fitzpatrick trade, discussing the safety’s form in recent years.
“Fitzpatrick was at one point the NFL’s highest-paid safety because of his ball-hawking prowess,” the beat reporter noted. “But over the past two seasons combined, he’s intercepted just one pass. His defenders will say, well, he’s a deterrent in the middle of the field. Well, how then did the Steelers finish 25th in pass defense (228 yards per game), and why did they give up the ninth-most completions of 20-plus yards (47)?”
“The answer is either that Fitzpatrick is not playing up to his paycheck, or the Steelers unwisely spent their money at safety — an area where many teams choose value over splash — instead of investing in a lockdown corner,” DeFabo went on.
“If you believe Fitzpatrick was worthy of his Pro Bowl nod — the fifth of his seven-year career — great. The Steelers should get a huge return in a trade, right? If you believe he has not lived up to his billing, then you should also agree it’s time to move on and, at a minimum, start balancing the roster.”
Pittsburgh can also save $15.5 million by designating Fitzpatrick as a post-June 1 cut according to Over the Cap, but they should be able to get something back for the 2024 Pro Bowler.
Would Steelers Also Consider Trading T.J. Watt?
Most Steelers fans would probably get on board with trading Fitzpatrick. His star traits have regressed with age and the safety position is no longer looked at as a premium role around the league.
But would the fanbase be okay with dealing superstar edge rusher T.J. Watt?
Zeise suggested that blockbuster move just after his call to action on Fitzpatrick.
“I would also say the same thing about T.J. Watt,” Zeise told readers. “I would trade him for picks, live with Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith and hope you can pour some of the money into the offense.”
Trading Watt feels like more of a knee-jerk reaction than Fitzpatrick — who appeared to be involved in a lot of the defensive lapses down the stretch — but either way it’s clear that something drastic must be done.
With how the roster is currently constructed, the Steelers aren’t winning when it counts. That must change in a football city like Pittsburgh, otherwise there will be much more turnover than a big-name trade or two.
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