Losing the five-time Pro-Bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick was a big blow for the Steelers. But in return for the trade, they got Jalen Ramsey. He not only brought in a lot of talent, but he also had the necessary flexibility required for Steller’s secondary. The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ big plan for Jalen Ramsey is now clear after their victory against the Jets. Ramsey not only brought in flexibility but also achieved an amazing feat. 

In the last game against the Jets, Joey Porter Jr. suffered a hamstring injury. It’s still unclear whether he will step on the gridiron this Sunday against the Jets. On Thursday, Teryl Austin was asked about Brandin Echols stepping in to let Ramsey move around, and he looked pretty confident about it. He said that they will “absolutely” retain their full capabilities in that regard.

While many fans were wondering where Ramsey would line up in the secondary, they now have the answer: everywhere. Ramsey played at every single position in the secondary in the game against the Jets. He was one of the three defenders who played 100% of the snaps. Even with the Steelers entering the second week with a couple of injuries, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin remains confident in Ramsey’s role on the team. 

He also talked about Echols’ role in the team, saying, “I know when we first got (Echols) in the offseason, we anticipated him playing a big role, and then falling into Slay and Jalen later, it was kind of like, okay. But he is still a good player.”

Austin further explained how confident he is about Echols playing the big role. “I don’t feel hamstrung about anything now that he has to step up and get into a more advanced role.”

However, in the game against the Jets, the Steelers didn’t give many opportunities to Echols. He completed 10 long snaps, but the Jets’ run-heavy game might have limited the Steelers’ use of Echols. Despite this, he had the biggest impact on the field on the final drive. He succeeded in breaking up passes on two of the final three plays. 

But Echols’ stepping in has made Ramsay’s flexibility still alive and useful. Ramsay’s position in the game will vary in every match, and it will be based on the opponent and situation. This allows the Steelers, with a couple of injuries on their defensive side, to have moving parts in the roster. And the Steelers’ coach made another announcement on Thursday.

Echols isn’t the only one preparing for the big role 

Austin had another big step-up announcement to make, aside from Echols. On Thursday, while speaking to the media, Austin confirmed that he expects Yahya Black to step into the bigger role against the Seahawks this Sunday. Black is a fifth-round pick, and at 6’6”, he weighs roughly 340 pounds with 35-inch arms.

But Black’s NFL debut against the Jets wasn’t a dream debut. He let QB Justin Fields slip past him twice, and he also had two missed tackles. Still, Austin is pretty confident about the rookie. 

Black, grabbing the big role, has been made possible by Derrick Harmons’ knee injury. Harmon was the Steelers’ first pick but had an unfortunate medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain during the preseason. But this doesn’t mean he has been ruled out of the entire season. According to his injury updates, it is possible for Harmon to return by week 5. So while Black grabs a new and bigger opportunity, Harmons will have to wait a bit longer for his NFL debut.