Steelers Didn't Trade Minkah Fitzpatrick for Jalen Ramsey

The Pittsburgh Steelers made headlines when they sent Minkah Fitzpatrick away in a trade recently.

In the trade, which involved a pick swap and Fitzpatrick heading to the Miami Dolphins for Jalen Ramsey, also included sending Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh.

The Steelers had been linked to Smith the week before, but the proceedings seemed to have fallen through. The addition of Smith came as a surprise with many, including myself, believing that Smith was a throw-in to the trade to help the proceedings go through.

Despite Smith's talent and Pro Bowl selection, his production is unlikely to improve much as he reaches age 29. Additionally, the Steelers currently feature both Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington as the leaders of their tight end room, and adding another top tight end did not look like the best move.

Now, one analyst believes that Smith is not receiving his credit. Jason La Canfora took to the Wanna Bet? podcast to talk about Smith, going as far as to state that the trade was not going to go through without the Steelers getting Smith.

"I do think the Jonnu Smith thing is a big deal," La Canfora said. "He's not just a throw-in. The trade got made because he's in it. [Pat] Freiermuth is a plow horse. This guy is a little bit more of a matchup nightmare. Having those two on the field at the same time, I think, will open things up."

La Canfora makes sure to point out that Smith is a different type of tight end than Freiermuth, but makes it seem as if Smith would be the most useful in situations when both are on the field. While that would be nice for the Steelers to have when it comes to their offensive versatility, Smith should also be able to stand alone in case of injury or insufficient play from his fellow tight ends.

Training Camp should provide significant clarity on where the tight ends stand coming into next season.