Jul 24, 2025; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) participates in drills during training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Steelers Have Clear CB1

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 7:00 AM ET

There's no doubt about who will take on the No. 1 cornerback duties for the Pittsburgh Steelers this season.

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, head coach Mike Tomlin said that Jalen Ramsey is Pittsburgh's unquestioned top dog at the position.

"Not a whole lot of conversations," Tomlin said. "Jalen's gonna get it. Some people may hate it, and I love that competitive spirit in the collective, but I think it's already been decided."

Though Ramsey may still play some safety or slot corner, which he said he's open to while appearing on "The Pivot" podcast, expect to see him following around the opposing team's top wide receiver consistently this year.

The 30-year-old has garnered a reputation of being a top shutdown corner in the NFL for nearly his entire career at this point, and while he's slowed down just a tad, he still remains among the league's elite.

With the Miami Dolphins last season, Ramsey finished with 60 tackles and two interceptions while allowing 46 receptions on 65 targets in coverage for 546 yards, per Pro Football Focus. He received a 76.9 overall grade from the site, which ranked No. 17 among 222 cornerbacks.

Ramsey, who came over alongside Jonnu Smith in a trade from the Miami Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick in June, will now spearhead a revamped position group in Pittsburgh that also saw six-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay Jr. enter the fold on a one-year deal in free agency after helping the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl LIX last season.

During his appearance on "The Pivot" podcast, Ramsey said that both Slay and Joey Porter Jr. understand that he will take on the primary duties in the secondary, even if the latter initially provided a little bit of pushback.

“They know who is going first,” Ramsey said. “...With Joe, he was like. ’Jay, I need that.’ But I’m like, ‘After me, though. You are going to get action after me.’ All three of us, we sat down with Mike T and he even butted in to say, ‘Hey, Jay is gonna be the guy right now.’”

Ramsey is no stranger to facing elite receivers on a regular basis, and he should have quite a few battles coming his way with the Steelers this season.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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