Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey Didn’t Request Trade; Team Not Eyeing Tyreek Hill Trade
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier confirmed reports that the team was looking to trade Jalen Ramsey, but clarified that the All-Pro cornerback did not request a trade.
Grier said that the decision to part ways was in the “best interest of all parties,” according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, adding that the potentially upcoming split was not a result of new contract demands by Ramsey. The Dolphins just signed him to a three-year, $72.3MM extension last September that made him the highest-paid cornerback in league history, raising questions about when and why the team’s relationship with its star defender deteriorated.
Grier said that the Dolphins have been in touch with other teams regarding Ramsey, but he does not know if a trade will happen before the draft, if at all. Ramsey’s new contract runs through 2028.
“If he’s here, we’ll deal with it,” said Grier (via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero).
A post-draft trade would likely make the most sense for Miami. The team only has $16.5MM in salary cap space, per OverTheCap, and a chunk of that will be needed to sign its rookie class. As a result, the $25.2MM of dead money resulting from a pre-June 1 trade would be financially untenable without additional roster maneuvering.
A post-June 1 trade would save $9.92MM in 2025 with a $6.75MM dead cap charge, with the remaining $18.47MM in dead money pushed to 2026. An acquiring team would pick up Ramsey’s $1.255MM salary, $865k in workout and per-game roster bonuses, and a fully-guaranteed $19MM option bonus due on August 31. Ramsey will then be owed $66.73MM from 2026 to 2028, though none of that money is guaranteed.
Grier also said that Dolphins are not interested in trading Tyreek Hill, despite persistent rumors of such a move this offseason. Mike McDaniel also recently indicated the Dolphins expected to have the All-Pro wide receiver on their roster this season, but trade rumors have continued to follow the likely Hall of Fame-bound talent. The draft would loom as the next window for a trade.
“That is not anything that we’re pursuing,” he said (via Pelissero). “Who knows? If someone wants to come and give me two first-round picks, we’ll consider it.”
Draft Rumors: Dolphins, Johnson, Harmon
The Dolphins are reportedly doing some homework on high-ranked tight end prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. Though, at No. 13 overall, Miami may be out of range of top tight end prospect Tyler Warren of Penn State, the team took a look at two options that could be around for their second-round pick.
According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, LSU’s Mason Taylor was onsite yesterday. Taylor is the son of Dolphins legend Jason Taylor. The younger Taylor is projected to be a fringe first-round prospect, but with tight ends, the ranges can certainly be wider. Taylor did a top-30 visit with the Browns on Monday and has also visited the Seahawks and Chargers.
Earlier this week, the Dolphins also hosted local tight prospect Elijah Arroyo out of Miami (FL), per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Arroyo had a breakout season for the Hurricanes this year and caught lots of attention at the Senior Bowl. After visiting Miami on Monday, Arroyo met with the Browns on Tuesday and Giants on Wednesday. Mike Cugno of CBS Sports adds that teammates Xavier Restrepo and Arroyo have both spent plenty of time around the Dolphins facility in the last couple of days.
Miami saw veteran Jonnu Smith rival Tyreek Hill in the receiving game for the Dolphins last year, but Smith’s contract expires after this season, so Taylor or Arroyo may be viewed as strong TE2 options or potential tight ends of the future.
Here are a few other draft visits we’ve seen reported in recent days:
- All-American running back Kaleb Johnson has been making the rounds lately. After visiting the Steelers last weekend, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 adds that Johnson has visited the Titans, Broncos, Texans, and Bengals. Johnson is widely considered the third-best running back prospect in the class behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Based on interest from the Titans, Johnson could go anywhere from the early-second to early-third round.
- Per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon visited the Jets yesterday. He hasn’t often been mocked in range of the Jets‘ No. 7 overall pick so far, but he could certainly be a candidate to find New York early in the second round or perhaps in the late-first, should the Jets opt to trade back up. Garafolo notes that Harmon has also visited the Browns and Steelers this week.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/11/25
Here are today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Re-signed: CB Kevin King
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed RFA tender: LB Jack Cochrane
Miami Dolphins
- Signed RFA tender: CB Kader Kohou
King returned to the field last year for the first time since 2021. A former second-round pick for the Packers, King was a starter in Green Bay before deciding to sit out the 2022 season for personal reasons. He attempted to make a return in 2023, but a torn Achilles tendon prevented him from doing so.
Finally coming back to the NFL with the Falcons last year, King saw very few snaps on defense in the regular season despite being a standout in the offseason. King was praised for his defensive versatility throughout camp and the preseason, but the Falcons mostly utilized the veteran on special teams.
2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori
This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.
Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.
Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:
- The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
- Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
- Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
- Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
- Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
- According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
- We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
- Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
- Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.
Dolphins High On S Malaki Starks; No Pre-Draft Visit Planned
The Dolphins, as expected, saw Jevon Holland depart on the open market. Since they have also elected not to retain fellow starter Jordan Poyer, safety is a position of need entering the draft. 
Many mock drafts from the end of the 2024 campaign and shortly thereafter understandably connected Miami to safety Malaki Starks. The Georgia product has long been seen as one of the two Day 1 prospects at the position, being joined in that regard by South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori. The latter’s stock has increased since his impressive Combine performance, but Starks is still drawing interest from the Dolphins.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports the team “thinks highly” of Starks, an indication he will receive consideration for the No. 13 pick. Jackson notes no pre-draft visit has been lined up yet, but he adds general manager Chris Grier was in attendance at Georgia’s Pro Day. Information gleaned from that event will help inform the Dolphins’ decision with their top selection.
Starks made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs, starting 14 games as a freshman for the national champions. He followed that up with a highly productive season, racking up three interceptions and seven pass deflections en route to first-team All-SEC and All-American nods. The junior was unable to match those feats in 2024, with his production taking a step back. Still, he earned second-team honors on both fronts and continued to occupy a highly versatile role on Georgia’s defense.
To be clear, Jackson writes the Dolphins have strong evaluations of “several other” prospects in the range of their first-round selection. Considering Miami is also among the potential suitors which has hosted Emmanwori, Starks is certainly not a lock to be selected by the team. Nevertheless, safety is a position to watch as the Dolphins look to further re-tool at that spot during the remainder of the offseason.
Returnees Elijah Campbell and Patrick McMorris have been joined on the roster by free agent signings Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu. It would come as no surprise if one or more rookies were added to that group, and Starks could be among them.
Dolphins LT Terron Armstead To Retire
The Dolphins will indeed be without Terron Armstead for 2025 and beyond. The veteran left tackle is retiring, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. 
Armstead’s playing future has been in question this offseason, with many indications pointing to him hanging up his cleats. Miami entered free agency with the presumption that would be the case, and today’s update confirms the team will need to make other plans on the blindside. Armstead’s NFL career will end after 12 seasons.
The most recent comments on the subject from Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel noted the Dolphins were unaware of Armstead’s intentions. This development will not come as a surprise, though, and with plenty of time remaining before the draft Miami will be able to look even more closely into left tackle prospects. Whichever option – in-house or otherwise – takes on a starting gig, replacing Armstead will prove to be a challenge.
The 33-year-old managed to play 15 games in 2024, but as usual he dealt with a number of ailments along the way. Injuries were a constant issue for Armstead, whose three-year Dolphins tenure was preceded by a strong run with the Saints. When at (or even near) full strength, he was among the top left tackles in the league, as illustrated by his five Pro Bowl nods. Rather than trying to manage nagging ailments once again in 2025, though, Armstead will turn his attention to his post-playing days.
One non-void year remains on the former third-rounder’s contract, one which included a pay cut last offseason. Armstead was reported in February to be prepared to once again reduce his base pay, a helpful move given the Dolphins’ cap constraints. None of his base salary (set to check in at the veteran minimum) was locked in as of the 2024 restructure.
In spite of that, Armstead’s pro career proved to be quite lucrative. Starting all but four games (during his rookie year) across his Saints tenure, the Arkansas Pine-Bluff product secured $13MM per season on a five-year New Orleans extension in 2016. While playing out that deal, Armstead remained a consistent performer in terms of PFF evaluation, earning a stellar 90.4 grade in 2018. At no point was he able to log a full season, however, something which informed his free agent departure.
Miami added Armstead on a five-year, $75MM pact in 2022. Expectations were high as a result, and he delivered strong performances when on the field; this past campaign, Armstead registered the fourth-highest PFF grade amongst offensive tackles. Miami will be hard-pressed to enjoy that level of play with a replacement (likely Patrick Paul) next year, but a run of durability will nevertheless be welcomed.
Selected in the second round of last year’s draft, Paul made three starts and logged a 30% snap share. The Houston product could be in line for a much heavier workload in 2025, although Miami could look to this month’s draft to add a starting-caliber option early on. By this point in free agency, few veterans capable of stepping into a first-team role remain on the market.
Overall, Armstead will hang up his cleats after playing 146 combined regular and postseason games. He accumulated roughly $115MM in career earnings.
Mike McDaniel Addresses Tyreek Hill’s Dolphins Future; Latest On Terron Armstead
For a player who received a $54MM guarantee last summer, despite three years remaining on his previous contract, Tyreek Hill keeps coming up in trade rumors. This can be expected given how the mercurial star’s 2024 season ended.
More Hill social media inferences toward a potential Miami departure surfaced recently. Though Twitter emojis do not exactly qualify as significant trade buzz, Hill having checked himself out of the Dolphins’ Week 18 game and then casting doubt about his Miami future postgame obviously did. Noise about a Hill South Beach exit has persisted.
GM Chris Grier said in January no Hill trade request had come out of the strange Week 18 development, and while Mike McDaniel said such behavior will not be tolerated going forward. Several weeks later, the fourth-year Miami HC did indicate he expects to keep working with the future Hall of Famer.
[RELATED: Dolphins’ Calais Campbell Offer Leads To Cardinals Deal]
“I can certainly say with certainty that at this certain moment,” McDaniel said when asked about Hill’s 2025 Dolphins status (via the Miami Herald’s C. Isaiah Smalls II), later adding “We are fully planning to move forward for a better version of our relationship with Tyreek.”
Hill made an effort to recommit to the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa in February, but his name continued to come up in trade rumors soon after. The Dolphins have the veteran speedster on their books through 2026; trading Hill before June 1 would cost the team $28.29MM in dead money. Only Stefon Diggs, via his 2024 Bills-to-Texans move, brought a larger dead cap hit among receivers.
While it would benefit the Dolphins to retain Hill, moving him ahead of an age-31 season would presumably bring more value than dealing him at 32. Miami having Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle on big-ticket deals also would make a cost-conserving effort logical, but for now, the team still rosters Hill. The period leading up to the draft represents the next trade window, one that would likely close on Day 2 of the draft.
Although Hill is coming off an injury-plagued season, he effectively cinched up Hall of Fame entry one day by stacking back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons on a resume that included a host of productive Chiefs campaigns. With injuries preventing Tagovailoa from finishing six games, however, Hill’s production cratered; he finished with 959 yards in 17 games. Hill underwent an offseason procedure on his wrist, and the Dolphins will hope — barring a strong offer prying him from Miami — he can recapture his pre-2024 form.
Hill’s fourth Dolphins offense may be unlikely to include Terron Armstead, who is still mulling retirement. While injury prone, the accomplished tackle has continued to play well. He is coming off a 15-game season, matching a career-high mark, but reports earlier this offseason pointed to a retirement and Patrick Paul taking over at left tackle. McDaniel, however, has not received word Armstead is done.
“We have had unbelievable amount of conversations about his body and how he feels. I think, tied into that, where he’s at relative to other years and how we can realistically forecast that, I think that’s going to really shape the answer to that question,” said McDaniel, who expects (via the Herald’s Barry Jackson) a decision soon. “It hasn’t ever been about Terron’s play, right? It’s been about how he’s been available, and he’s been straining to be more available for us than a counterpart would. He’s played through a lot of stuff.”
A February report suggested Armstead would reduce his base salary to the veteran minimum to lighten the cap burden on the Dolphins, as the Pro Bowler’s salary is nonguaranteed. If Armstead is to make a surprising return for his age-34 season, the Dolphins would need to regroup and work with him on a salary well north of the vet minimum. Pro Football Focus graded Armstead as the NFL’s fourth-best tackle last season. A 2024 second-rounder, Paul played 337 offensive snaps as a rookie.
QB Prospect Notes: Fins, Colts, Saints, Rams
While much of the pre-draft quarterback talk has been focused on teams atop the draft board, there are plenty of additional squad eyeing prospects at the position. Over the past few weeks, the Dolphins, Colts, Saints, and Rams have been among the teams connected to rookie quarterbacks.
As mentioned, the Dolphins have been among the team’s scouting quarterbacks, with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reporting that the team has met with, scouted, or “evaluated” Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, and Syracuse’s Kyle McCord. Jackson passes along a prediction from agent Drew Rosenhaus, who recently opined that the Dolphins will end up taking a QB in the draft.
While the organization may simply be doing their due diligence, it makes sense for the Dolphins to consider the position in the draft. Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury and concussion injury has been well documented, and there will continue to be questions about the starter’s playing future. While Miami brought in Zach Wilson this offseason, the former draft bust likely wouldn’t be the team’s first choice to take over atop the depth chart.
Sticking in the AFC, Colts GM Chris Ballard admitted that his team would take a QB if the situation presented itself. The team is rostering a former fourth-overall pick in Anthony Richardson, and they added former Giants starter Daniel Jones this offseason. Still, the organization has a hole on the depth chart after Sam Ehlinger left in free agency, and they could look for a QB3 via the draft.
“If you think there’s somebody organizationally that you believe in, at any point, I think you pull the trigger,” Ballard said (via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star).
One of the teams that’s considered likeliest to select a QB is in the NFC. Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football recently said there’s “something” to the team’s flirtation with many of the non-blue chip prospects. Underhill cites the team’s need for a long-term answer behind Derek Carr, and their pursuit could even lead to them selecting a QB in the first round. Among the players presumably under consideration is Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting that head coach Kellen Moore was in attendance for the school’s pro day.
Finally, the Rams have been mentioned as a potential landing spot for rookie quarterbacks. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic says the team is “open” to drafting a player at the position, although they “won’t reach for one.” As Rodrigue notes, both GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have expressed interest in bringing in a young signal caller to play behind Matthew Stafford.
Cardinals Reunite With DL Calais Campbell
APRIL 2: The Dolphins offered Campbell the third-most money of the teams pursuing him, per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. The Ravens were also in the mix, but the Cardinals offered more bonus money and Campbell and his family preferred to return to Arizona.
APRIL 1: The Cardinals are signing six-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Calais Campbell to a one-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The signing, which was confirmed by Cardinals team reporter Darren Urban, will bring Campbell back to the team that originally drafted him. The 38-year-old is set to earn $5.5MM in 2025 with an additional $2MM available via incentives, according to Schefter and Rapoport.
Campbell entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent weighing retirement against a return to the field for his 18th season in the NFL. He had offers from the Dolphins and the Ravens, but chose to return to Arizona where he started his career as a second-round draft pick in 2008. All three options offered familiarity; Campbell spent his college career and the 2024 season in Miami, and he also played in Baltimore from 2020 to 2022. The Cardinals, however, are closer to Denver, where he was born and raised.
Campbell is the Cardinals’ second addition to their defensive line this offseason. They signed Dalvin Tomlinson in March to join Dante Stills and Bilal Nichols in the trenches. Campbell will give Arizona a four-man rotation to which they can still add via the draft.
Campbell’s departure leaves the Dolphins precariously thin along the interior of their defensive line. Zach Sieler and Benito Jones are the only returning starters from last year’s unit.. Neil Farrell and Matt Dickerson combined for just 11 appearances and 80 defensive snaps. That will likely force Miami to scour the league’s remaining free agents and invest in at least one defensive lineman in April’s draft, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
The new contract will bring Campbell’s career earnings over $150MM, per OverTheCap, the third-most of any defensive linemen in NFL history. He has remained an effective defender into his late-30s, with 17.0 sacks and 26 tackles for loss since 2022.
Dolphins Restructure Austin Jackson’s Contract; Team Could Make OL Additions
The Dolphins have made a number of moves aimed at carving out 2025 cap space. That process has included a restructure of right tackle Austin Jackson‘s deal, as detailed by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 
$9.71MM of his Jackson’s base salary for next season has been converted into a signing bonus; as a result, his 2025 cap hit has been lowered by $7.8MM down to $5.79MM. The move sets him up for a $15.77MM cap charge next year, but it helps Miami’s efforts to bring in further additions up front in the near future. The Dolphins have brought in guard James Daniels as well as tackle Larry Borom so far in free agency, and more moves could be coming.
Jackson notes Daniels – who inked a three-year, $24MM pact – has been told by the team it is unclear at this point whether he will play left or right guard. The former Steeler will be counted on to operate as a starter at one of those spots, but his remarks suggest Miami plans to make other moves along the interior. That could include bringing in a rookie fairly high in next month’s draft; the Dolphins own 10 selections as things stand, including one in each of the first three rounds.
With roughly $16.5MM in cap space, Miami also has the financial means to sign a veteran blocker before or after the draft takes place. At this stage of free agency, of course, expectations would be limited for any signing to step into a first-team role. Nevertheless, it would come as little surprise if the plan in place (as mentioned to Daniels) includes at least one notable addition.
The Dolphins expect to be without left tackle Terron Armstead in 2025, and his absence could thrust Patrick Paul (selected in the second round last year) into a full-time starting gig. Along the interior, Daniels is slated to start at one guard spot with center Aaron Brewer still on the books for two more seasons. Jackson – who was limited to eight games in 2024 – will reprise his starting role at right tackle, but it remains to be seen who will occupy the other first-team guard role. Veteran Liam Eichenberg represents the top in-house option, but competition could be added later this offseason.