Jalen Ramsey‘s debut with the Dolphins likely won’t come in Week 1 after the cornerback suffered a knee injury during practice today. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), Ramsey will undergo knee surgery and is expected to miss the start of the regular season.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reveals on Twitter that the All-Pro cornerback suffered a meniscus injury that could force him to miss six to eight weeks. Pelissero clarifies (on Twitter) that the best-case scenario would see Ramsey back on the field “right around the season opener.” The worst-case scenario would see the veteran sidelined for much longer, and the player’s timeline will be determined following surgery. Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network tweets that a meniscus trim would result in a speedier recovery, while a “full repair” would sideline Ramsey for much longer.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that doctors will determine during surgery what the best course of action is for the player. While a source cautioned that no decision has been made, RapSheet notes that the “likely outcome” would be a full meniscus repair. While this route would be the “best and healthiest option,” it would also keep Ramsey off the field until around December. For what it’s worth, Ramsey tweeted that the “end of the season push” will be “legendary,” perhaps an indication that he’ll miss more than the season opener.
Fortunately, we should have some clarity soon, as Wolfe tweets that Ramsey will have surgery on the meniscus in his left knee tomorrow. The cornerback suffered the injury during practice today after colliding with receiver Tyreek Hill. Ramsey was seen grabbing the back of his knee before he left the field. As Wolfe notes on Twitter, Ramsey previously suffered a meniscus injury in 2016 when he was a rookie with the Jaguars.
The Dolphins sent the Rams a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long for Ramsey back in March. The 28-year-old earned his sixth-straight Pro Bowl nod in 2022, finishing with a career-high 88 tackles to go along with four interceptions and 18 pass breakups. Pro Football Focus graded Ramsey as the third-best cornerback among 118 qualifiers in 2022, with the site giving him top-10 positional marks during each of his three-plus seasons in Los Angeles (including a 2021 campaign where he finished first).
Besides his top-end production, Miami added the high-priced cornerback because of his playoff success and his versatility. The acquisition was expected to play opposite Xavien Howard on the outside with Kader Kohou manning the slot, but there were recent reports that Ramsey could see plenty of time in the slot for Miami in 2023. With Ramsey sidelined, the Dolphins could lean even more on Kohou during his second season in the NFL, and second-round rookie Cam Smith should also have an opportunity to step into a role right away. Miami will also eventually welcome back Nik Needham, who continues to recover from an Achilles injury that ended his 2022 season early.
That is going to hurt the D.
Week 1 Dolphins vs Chargers
I wonder if this changes the line for the Chargers game.
Vic Fangio as DC is worth more than a Jalen Ramsey
“His knee is trash. I don’t care what you say, it’s trash. And it’s gonna show too. Thats a bad injury… that’s a stupid free agent pick up to me. We play them this year, and I’m excited as hell..” sometimes when you are young, you should watch your words
Media injury reporting is wild. This site’s headline suggests he won’t miss much time. Another one says December would be an optimistic expectation. Reality with this injury is that no one will have any idea until Dr’s do the surgery. Any speculation beyond that is flat bs clickbait. Similar with Burrow earlier today. I saw a “reputable” reporter infer he tore his acl. MFer, he strained his calf. Not even a similar area.. It’s just nuts.
The media can be pretty clueless regarding injuries but doctors opinions are often biased and suspect too. That became apparent with that whole concussion drama surrounding Tua. More and more players are seeking outside second opinions to confirm what they are hearing from their team doctors which is probably a good idea.
Dolphins putting all their eggs in one basket like the Rams did when they got their Superbowl, the walls are already coming down, they won’t get their Superbowl before they have to , like the Rams, tear it all down and start over