The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2024 season fell apart during the final stretch of the year. At one point, the team had a 10-3 record and was primed to win the AFC North, but everything crumbled when Pittsburgh lost its final four games of the regular season and then got embarrassed in the first round of the playoffs. The offensive unit was at fault for its inconsistent play, but the defense was also a disaster as the group looked like it gave up at times. This was especially disappointing as the defense is the highest-paid in the NFL.

One of the pieces of the NFL’s highest-paid defense is safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and he has had an underwhelming couple of years with Pittsburgh. Fitzpatrick looked like the best safety in the league during his first several seasons with the Steelers, but he struggled to produce in 2023 and 2024. He performs his job well and his impact is likely measured in areas other than the stat sheet. However, for a player with a high cap hit, fans and the organization want to see more splash plays.

Team insider Ray Fittipaldo recently hosted a chat with fans for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and he was asked about why there hasn’t been much buzz about trading the Pro Bowl safety.

“What’s the trade market for an aging safety with a $22 million cap hit?” Fittipaldo asked in response. “I’ll tell you. Nonexistent.”

Fitzpatrick carries a cap hit of just over $22 million in 2025 and over $24 million in 2026 — which is obviously a difficult contract to move. If any trade were to occur, it probably wouldn’t be very worth it for Pittsburgh as he might not be able to return anything higher than a late Day 3 selection.

The Steelers traded for Fitzpatrick during the 2019 NFL season. He was traded to Pittsburgh after just two games and still managed to record five interceptions for the Steelers, including a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown. Over the last two seasons, his production has taken a hit as he has just one interception over the last two seasons combined.

The safety is still effective when it comes to making tackles, and he takes away the middle of the field in the passing game, but the splash plays have been missing. This could have a lot to do with the defensive scheme being run in Pittsburgh, but it could also mean that Fitzpatrick has lost a step. His instincts might not be what they used to be, which could be a reason to move on from the veteran safety.

Fitzpatrick is still relatively young as he is only 28-years old, and he is signed through the 2026 season. If Pittsburgh can get any other team to bite on a deal for the safety, it should agree to the deal immediately.

Steelers Are In Position To Draft A Top Safety

If Fitzpatrick does wind up getting dealt, Pittsburgh should be able to find a viable replacement in the 2025 NFL Draft. Both Malaki Starks out of Georgia and Nick Emmanwori out of South Carolina could be available at the 21st overall pick. Starks would be an ideal selection, although Pittsburgh has needs elsewhere, while Emmanwori is seen as a raw prospect and it could be a mistake selecting him in the first round.

Either way, the safety class in the 2025 draft is considered fairly deep, and the Steelers could easily get younger at the position while potentially saving some money if the franchise can find a way to trade Fitzpatrick. The safety has a meant a lot in Pittsburgh over the last five years, but he has not been able to live up to his contract as of late.

Would you want to trade Fitzpatrick?