Who says Miami wouldnt pick up some of his salary?
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/ ... E-RamsWireWith Jalen Ramsey on the trade block, should the Rams bring him back to LA?
Cameron DaSilva
Rams Wire
Cornerback is at or near the top of the Los Angeles Rams’ list of needs heading into the draft, but they have an opportunity to add an All-Pro DB before the fun begins on April 24. It was reported on Tuesday morning that Jalen Ramsey and the Miami Dolphins have mutually agreed to explore a trade, effectively putting the star cornerback on the block.
Ramsey, of course, spent three and a half seasons with the Rams from 2019-2022 before Los Angeles traded him to the Dolphins during the 2023 offseason. That was strictly a financial decision after the Rams decided to reset salary cap-wise, and they worked with Ramsey to find his preferred landing spot.
With no bad blood between the two sides, might the Rams consider bringing him back? It would not only fill a major need, but it wouldn’t cost them a first-round pick, either. When the Rams shipped him to Miami, they only got Hunter Long and a third-round pick in return, partly because of Ramsey’s sizable contract.
Now two years later, it’s not as if he’s any cheaper. He just signed a three-year, $72.3 million extension with the Dolphins last offseason, which doesn’t begin until 2026. His cap hit is $16.67 million in 2025, and it’ll increase in each of the following three years: $25 million, $26.8 million and $36.2 million.
That may seem problematic for a team like the Rams, but any team trading for him would essentially be taking on a one-year deal with the ability to get out of his contract in 2025. Spotrac says it’d be a $21.1 million commitment for one year if Ramsey is traded, and because the Dolphins will have already paid most of his guaranteed money, his cap hits on a new team would look like this, per Spotrac.
2025: $21.1M
2026: $21M
2027: $21.7M
2028: $24M
That’s pretty palatable for an All-Pro cornerback, no? Sure, there are concerns that he’s on the wrong side of 30, but he was still a standout defender for Miami the last two years.
According to Pro Football Focus, he was the 10th-highest-graded cornerback in the league last season, picking off two passes with two touchdowns allowed in coverage. He did allow 546 yards to opposing receivers, but he’s a do-it-all cornerback who had a lot of success blitzing and stopping the run; his pass-rush grade was 76.5 and his run defense grade was 85.7.
If the cost is a third-round pick, the Rams should consider it. They should be in win-now mode with Matthew Stafford back and Davante Adams added to the mix, which makes a move for Ramsey fit their immediate goals of winning a title.
It sounds like he misses Los Angeles, too. When the Rams signed Adams, Ramsey commented on his post expressing how lucky he is to land with such a great organization.
Back in November when the Dolphins visited the Rams and Ramsey made his return to L.A., he talked about how much the city means to him, saying it's still "like a home."
"I never got an opportunity to give like a farewell gift to, you know, all the people out there," Ramsey said. "It's like a home to me. It's like a family. I've got some family from out there. My daughter was born out there. Great memories out there. Everlasting memories of community, always treated me and my family right, nothing but loved and respected. So, still got a lot of ties out there. Still go out there often. A lot of positive energy out there. Nothing, like, negative that I could say about my time there."
That doesn't sound like someone who would be opposed to a reunion. It's just a matter of whether the Rams feel he's worth the cost in a trade – and on his current contract.