Steelers' Omar Khan Gives Massive Update On Future Of Jalen Ramsey

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of big decisions that they have to make in the near future. However, General Manager Omar Khan and new Head Coach Mike McCarthy are currently in Indianapolis for the 2026 Scouting Combine, so many of these decisions will have to wait as they watch all these prospects practice and show off what they are truly capable of. When they return to Pittsburgh, a lot of decisions will be made on different internal free agents and the future of a bunch of veteran players. 

Khan has already revealed the future of many veteran players during interviews at the combine. He was then asked about another veteran player and if he would be sticking around: Jalen Ramsey. 

"Jalen, I can't say enough good things about him," Khan said. "His approach to the game is really awesome, his preparation. His role will shake out with the new coaching staff that comes in, but he’s got versatility... I know the new coaching staff is excited to work with him. I can’t say enough about what he did for us early in the season. He switched positions, hadn't practiced it all spring, and he went in there and did it for us. He’s one of the most unselfish football players I’ve been around."

Early on in the 2025 season, Ramsey was primarily a cornerback in nickel packages and a free safety in the base 3-4 defense in an attempt to fully maximize his abilities. However, numerous injuries and an illness forced the Steelers to put him at safety for a whole game just to have some sort of depth at the position. He played extremely well there, and the temporary shift quickly became permanent as he found a way to extend his career. 

Ramsey wasn't the big-play machine that Mike Tomlin had hoped for, but instead, he became a quality tackler that stayed in his lane and did his job well. He had 88 tackles to go along with four tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, three sacks, eight passes defended, and an interception. Sometimes, staying simple and doing the little things is all you need from a defensive star, as he helped to keep a lid on opposing offenses.

With all the picks that the Steelers have at their disposal, odds are that they would end up drafting a safety in the middle rounds to grow into this system. Ramsey and DeShon Elliott would be amazing mentors for this possible rookie as Khan would likely try to make the team much younger than it was in 2025. That would be another great reason to keep the former All-Pro cornerback around. 

Steelers Could Force Ramsey To Take Massive Pay Cut

Ramsey's contract may look daunting, but due to the fact that he was acquired via trade, they don't owe him any sort of guarantees. He does have a $2 million roster bonus due, but if Khan suddenly decided that cutting him would be the best move prior to that, he would save almost $20 million with no dead cap at all. The veteran defensive back does not have a lot of leverage in this scenario. 

Instead of cutting him, Khan would most likely make him take a pay cut and then give him a small signing bonus in return. The Steelers don't exactly need cap space now, but if they end up throwing a bag of money at Malik Willis, it's very possible that they would need to free up some money to sign other key free agents. $20 million per year seems like a lot for an aging cornerback that had to switch to safety.

What do you think about Khan's praise of Ramsey and how he wants him back? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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