This sort of goes back to the question of Dexterity being a crutch perk. I feel like I can't run around without Ninja in competitive lobbies.
Ninja is the only way for me to get around the map, and without using it, I can definitely hear footsteps from far away.
Should the footstep audio be lowered more, like 30%?
I do feel like it could go a long way in no longer feeling the need to use Ninja.