Mark Kaboly ‘Wouldn’t Anticipate’ Seeing Jalen Ramsey Practice ‘Throughout The Entire Camp’

Jalen Ramsey has yet to practice during Steelers training camp. Mark Kaboly doubts that he will. On the PUP list due to an injury sustained in minicamp, the veteran safety may not participate at all in Latrobe, Kaboly insinuates. Having just signed another safety, we may next see Ramsey on Sept. 13.

“Jalen Ramsey, I wouldn’t anticipate seeing him throughout the entire camp”, Mark Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan yesterday. “At this point right now, if he’s already missed six weeks if you’re going back to minicamp, why bring him back now? So they have to be ready for a veteran to be ready to step in there. You’ve got a guy like [Sebastian] Castro, but he’s green. [DeShon] Elliott and [Jaquan] Brisker are holding it down right now. So I think it was just by necessity right now of bringing in Rayshawn Jenkins”.

In a move corresponding to the Jenkins signing, the Steelers released veteran S Darnell Savage. This appears to be a one-for-one deal, potentially related in part to Savage’s availability. In recent days, it appeared he had been limited in some way. And Jalen Ramsey is expected to play in the slot, though he would also factor in as safety depth. After all, he started the majority of the season there last year.

The Steelers need Ramsey to be a dynamic player for them this year. Right now, his health is more important than his ability to practice. At his age and experience level, there isn’t much that he hasn’t seen or done. He can play anywhere in the secondary, line up in the box, or blitz. And he has done all of them before, so it’s not like Patrick Graham has new things to teach him.

If there is a concern, it is the simple fact that the Steelers are installing a new defense under Graham in which Jalen Ramsey is a central component. And not just a central component, but a unique one, because there is nobody on the roster—and there are few in the league—who can sufficiently emulate his skill set.

But if the Steelers don’t deem him healthy enough to practice, then that’s all there is to it. Ramsey is joined on the sideline by Joey Porter Jr., another starting member of the secondary. Porter is currently nursing an ailing back, perhaps strained under the weight of his contract negotiations.

At least in Ramsey’s case, the Steelers don’t have to worry about money. They’re already paying him handsomely, though of course one would also like to see him on the field for all that money. As long as he makes the plays they’re paying him to make when the games count, and he doesn’t impede the installation and development of the defense, that’s ultimately the only thing that matters.