Jalen Ramsey

Rams Open To Reacquiring Jalen Ramsey

APRIL 26: Although the Dolphins have not unloaded Ramsey during the draft, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates a trade is still viewed as likely. McVay’s praise of Ramsey did not merely stem from the duo’s time together previously, as Rapoport adds the Rams are believed to be one of the interested teams.

APRIL 22: Joining Vic Fangio as 2023 Dolphins additions that will not lead to a long-term fit, Jalen Ramsey is on the trade block. Interested teams have a clear window to acquire the All-Pro cornerback — in what would be his third career trade — before and during the draft.

The Dolphins have let Ramsey seek a trade despite providing more guaranteed money — via a September 2024 extension (three years, $72.3MM) — soon after Patrick Surtain reset the cornerback market. A trade before June 1, however, would be pricey for the Dolphins, as $25.2MM in dead money (that is, if they do not eat any portion of Ramsey’s pay) would come their way. But the draft represents a natural trade window for the team to move off this recently authorized contract.

One potential suitor has emerged. Rams brass did not shut down the idea of reacquiring Ramsey two years after sending him to Miami.

He’s a great player,” Sean McVay said, via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue. “We know him very well … we know him intimately. You would certainly never rule out the possibility of that. … There’s a lot of layers that would need to be worked out with a player of his magnitude, and some of the different things that accompany that. But you would never eliminate the possibility of adding a total stud.”

Les Snead has discussed trade parameters with the Dolphins, per Rodrigue, though this is merely teams touching base on trade-up or trade-down maneuvers ahead of the draft. The Rams could conceivably include Ramsey in such a move, if a pick-swap deal is to be considered. The team obtained a 2023 third-round pick and backup tight end Hunter Long for Ramsey in 2023. That represents a light return for a player pointed toward the Hall of Fame, and the Dolphins may not be able to fetch that; Ramsey will turn 31 this year.

The Rams have shown a willingness to reunite with corners they previously parted with. L.A. brought Troy Hill back via a trade during the 2022 draft, and the team re-signed Darious Williams after the Jaguars cut him last year. A Ramsey reunion would be a much higher-profile move, considering the nine-year veteran’s stature and contract. The Rams have two veteran deals (for Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon) on their payroll, but their CB group is not particularly costly right now. Rookie-deal presences comprise the rest of L.A.’s cornerback contingent.

While on the back nine in his career, Ramsey remains an upper-echelon corner. He earned Pro Bowl honors in a 10-game Dolphins 2023 debut, and while Pro-Football-Reference’s coverage metrics did not churn out comparable numbers last season, Pro Football Focus slotted the boundary stopper 10th among CBs in 2024. Ramsey is also signed through 2028, via an extension that contains modest base salaries but option bonuses. Ramsey’s 2025 compensation is also guaranteed, complicating matters further for an acquiring team. Thus far, clubs are not open to paying the full Ramsey freight in 2025.

The Rams acquired Ramsey while building their Super Bowl LVI-winning nucleus, sending the Jaguars two first-round picks as he staged an in-season hold-in of sorts. That deal worked out for the Rams, who saw Ramsey earn back-to-back first-team All-Pro honors in his first two full seasons (2020, 2021) in L.A. The team gave him a five-year, $100MM extension before the 2020 season, but by 2023, it was looking to cut costs. Los Angeles sent that $20MM-AAV deal to Miami, as Ramsey sought more guaranteed money. Not only did the Dolphins eventually extend him, they approved a reworking that featured more guaranteed money upon initially trading for him.

Miami completed a similar reworking with Tyreek Hill‘s contract last summer, as the future elite speed merchant angled for a redone deal. Both players are now trade candidates, though both Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier have voiced expectations Hill will be back in 2025.

Issues Between Jalen Ramsey, Mike McDaniel Led To Trade Talks

Jalen Ramsey and the Dolphins continue to seek trade options that would send the star cornerback out of Miami. With the draft representing an opportunity for the two sides to finalize a divorce, we’re getting more details on how we even got here in the first place.

According to Armando Salguero of Outkick, issues between the two sides aren’t connected to finances. Instead, a potential Ramsey exit is because the player doesn’t “see eye to eye” with head coach Mike McDaniel. In fact, Salguero goes as far as describing the relationship between the two as “irreparably broken,” and he says it’s hard to envision the cornerback playing again for head coach.

This actually isn’t the first time we’ve heard of potential issues in the locker room, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com reported earlier today that McDaniel has “rubbed a lot of the veterans the wrong way” following the coach’s strong start to his career. Many of those defensive players would prefer to play elsewhere vs. sticking in Miami, and Pauline hints that’s a big reason why the organization has struggled to re-sign players on that side of the ball (and recruit replacements).

The Dolphins have told Ramsey that they’ll work with him to find a favorable landing spot, and this is probably a big reason why Salguero notes that the player has “respect” for GM Chris Grier. The Rams have already been mentioned as a landing spot for their former All-Pro cornerback, and there’s a chance more teams emerge if a trade isn’t consummated during the draft.

It’s been assumed the two sides were seeking a separation after Ramsey refused a pay cut, although Salguero says that’s not the reason for the inevitable trade. Further, the front office seemingly placated the player when they handed him more guaranteed money — via a September 2024 extension (three years, $72.3MM) — soon after Patrick Surtain reset the cornerback market.

The current issue with a Ramsey trade is timing, as a pre-June 1 trade would cost the Dolphins $25.2MM in dead money. The draft could be the best opportunity for the organization to get an offer built on draft picks, but they may just prefer to wait for financial flexibility.

Either way, it appears there’s no chance of Ramsey reversing course and returning to Miami next season.

Teams Unwilling To Pay Full 2025 Compensation For Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey

Jalen Ramsey is known to be on the trade block as the countdown to the draft continues. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier confirmed the team is open to moving on from the All-Pro corner even though no trade request was submitted.

It was earlier this week that the mutual desire between team and player to work out a trade went public, but at least some in the league have known about this situation for several weeks. One source informed Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports they were aware of Miami’s desire to move on dating back to the Combine. It will be interesting to see if the coming days spark an increase in Ramsey’s market.

On that note, Jones adds some see the decision to go public with Ramsey’s situation as an indication suitors are not prepared to make a serious push at this point. Any number of teams would see their pass defenses improve with the seven-time Pro Bowler in the fold, but finances are of course a sticking point with respect to a deal being worked out. Four years remain on Ramsey’s contract, one which was extended last offseason. He is owed $21.1MM in guarantees for 2025 in addition to what he has already been paid.

As could be expected, Jones reports interested teams are not prepared to take on that amount in full as a condition of a Ramsey trade agreement. The Dolphins would be dealt a significant cap charge in the event a trade were to be worked out before June 1 (whereas the dead money could be spread out across two years if Ramsey were to be dealt after that date). Grier and Co. are nonetheless willing to move forward with a trade at any time, per Jones, but retaining money will be needed as things currently stand.

At the age of 30, Ramsey will face questions about his ability to remain a high-end cover man moving forward. The former fifth overall pick also missed seven games in 2023 due to a knee injury, although he managed to rebound with a full campaign last season. Still, that could give an acquiring team reason to pursue a restructure which lowers Ramsey’s compensation for 2026 and beyond. Before that becomes possible, terms on a trade will need to be agreed to.

While Grier left the door open to Ramsey remaining in Miami – a team which already cut fellow CB starter Kendall Fuller this offseason – a deal sending him to a fourth career squad remains something to watch for. A willingness on the part of the Dolphins to retain compensation would no doubt boost his market over the coming days, but a post-draft trade should not be counted out.

Dolphins, CB Jalen Ramsey To Explore Trade

Jalen Ramsey has been with the Dolphins for the past two seasons, but his time in Miami may soon be coming to an end. Team and player have mutually agreed to “explore trade options,” Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.

No deadline is in place for a potential deal to be worked out, per the report, but the draft looms as a logical deadline on that front. Cornerback already represents a position of need for the Dolphins with Ramsey in the fold. Moving on from the seven-time Pro Bowler would create an even larger vacancy at that spot, but Rapoport and Pelissero note it would not come as a surprise if a trade were to take place.

[RELATED: Ramsey Did Not Request To Be Traded]

The No. 5 pick in the 2016 draft, Ramsey quickly established himself as one of the league’s top cover men during his tenure with the Jaguars. Midway through his fourth season in Jacksonville, he was traded to the Rams and subsequently extended on a five-year, $100MM deal. Ramsey remained in Los Angeles through the end of the 2022 campaign, earning a pair of his three first-team All-Pro nods along the way. He was then traded again, however, this time to the Dolphins.

Upon arrival in Miami, Ramsey agreed to a restructure but he later worked out another lucrative accord. This past September, the Florida State product signed a three-year extension averaging $24.1MM. That figure moved him back to the top of the pecking order in terms of annual compensation for corners at the time, although the market has since continued to move upward. Ramsey is on the books for four more years, although he is only due a guaranteed base salary for 2025.

The 30-year-old already collected a $4MM roster bonus last month, but the remainder of his compensation – including $21.1MM fully locked in – would become the responsibility of his new team in the event of a trade. Miami would be hit with a $25.21MM dead money charge if a deal were to be worked out before June 1, making a pre-draft deal financially challenging. If a swap were to occur after June 1, by contrast, the Dolphins would see $9.92MM in cap savings while generating only a $6.75MM dead money hit.

Ramsey is set to carry a cap charge of $16.66MM in 2025, but that figure is scheduled to spike in the coming years. Another restructure of his pact on the part of an acquiring team would thus come as no surprise, although the number of suitors will be limited based on finances. As teams prepare to add their draft classes to their offseason rosters and make late-stage free agent moves, few have enough idle cap space to comfortably absorb Ramsey’s deal; it will be interesting to see how much of a market exists on the trade front.

After being limited to 10 games by a knee injury in 2023, Ramsey logged a full campaign last season. He notched a pair of interceptions (continuing his streak of recording at least one every year in the league), and added 11 pass deflections. Pro Football Reference listed Ramsey with underwhelming numbers in coverage, but PFF evaluation in that department helped him land a top-10 grade for corners. While age and finances will give plenty of teams pause, Ramsey (when healthy) will still be counted on to operate as a versatile No. 1 corner if he lands on a fourth career team.

The Dolphins will once again have Kader Kohou in place to handle slot cornerback duties next season, but their decision to cut Kendall Fuller left them in need of drafting a starting-caliber option on the perimeter. That situation will be duplicated if Ramsey winds up being dealt, a scenario worth watching for over the coming days.

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.”

AFC Contract Details: Brown, Ramsey, Heyward, Carter, Bell

Here are some details on recent contracts reached around the NFL:

  • Spencer Brown, T (Bills): Four years, $72MM. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 provided some contract details on Brown’s recent extension. The deal comes with a $6.4MM signing bonus and a $16MM option bonus that will pay out in 2025. An additional $7.1MM roster bonus will hit in 2026. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia added the distinction that most of Brown’s $7.14MM base salary in 2026 will be vested in 2025.
  • Jalen Ramsey, CB (Dolphins): Three years, $72.3MM. Per OvertheCap.com, Ramsey’s new extension comes with $24.24MM guaranteed at signing. The deal also contains a guaranteed 2025 roster bonus of $4MM paid in March and a guaranteed 2025 option bonus of $18.98MM due in Week 1 of next year. He can receive option bonuses of $8.14MM and $8.84MM in 2026 and 2027, respectively, and roster bonuses of $2MM from 2026 to 2028.
  • Cameron Heyward, DT (Steelers): Two years, $29MM. While we had mentioned that most of Heyward’s guarantees came in the form of his signing bonus, OvertheCap.com shows us that the remaining guaranteed money comes from Heyward’s 2024 base salary of $1.3MM. Heyward can earn roster bonuses of $13.45MM in 2025 and $12.95MM in 2026.
  • Michael Carter II, CB (Jets): Three years, $30.75MM. ESPN’s Rich Cimini tells us that Carter’s deal comes with a $6MM signing bonus that is included in the contract’s $13MM of guaranteed money at signing. There’s an additional $5.4MM guaranteed for injury. The deal also contains a guaranteed 2025 option bonus of $4MM.
  • David Bell, WR (Browns): Two years, $2.44MM. Wilson tells us that Bell’s contract has base salaries of $1.11MM and $1.34MM. Bell can earn an additional $50K in a workout bonus in 2025.

Dolphins Extend CB Jalen Ramsey

In advance of his second Dolphins season, Jalen Ramsey has agreed to another big-ticket deal. The All-Pro corner has worked out a three-year, $72.3MM extension, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Cameron Wolfe. Head coach Mike McDaniel has since confirmed the news.

This pact will include $55.3MM guaranteed, Rapoport adds. Ramsey and the Dolphins worked out the agreement a few days ago, but the news has now broken in preparation for his return to the practice field. Ramsey is a candidate to suit up for Week 1 on Sunday with the title of the league’s highest-paid corner.

Patrick Surtain moved the top of the position’s market forward earlier this week when he agreed to a Broncos extension averaging $24MM per season. Ramsey’s deal checks in at $24.1MM annually. The 31-year-old had two years remaining on his existing pact (the five-year, $100MM extension he inked in 2020), one which was restructured this spring to clear 2024 cap space. No guaranteed salary was in place for 2025, but that will no doubt change in the wake of today’s news.

Acquired via trade with the Rams last offseason, Ramsey was limited to 10 games in his debut Miami campaign due to a knee injury. He recorded three interceptions and five pass deflections during that span, though, and returned in time for the team’s wild-card game. The former No. 6 pick earned his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl nod in 2023, setting himself up another notable payday. Ramsey rose to the top of the pecking order on his 2020 deal, and he has now managed to replicate that feat four years later.

The Dolphins moved on from Xavien Howard this offseason, one in which Kendall Fuller was added in free agency. The Ramsey-Fuller tandem will be counted on to anchor the team’s secondary as Miami has a number of inexperienced options on the depth chart, although it remains to be seen if they will both be on the field for Week 1. McDaniel- who himself recently landed a multi-year extension – noted during his Thursday press availability that he is unsure if Ramsey will get enough practice time in between now and the season opener to be able to play (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).

Miami has qualified for the postseason in each of the past two years, bowing out in the wild-card round both times. The team will be expected to improve in that regard in 2024, with many key players on offense (quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in particular) landing sizable new contracts to remain in place for the foreseeable future. The Dolphins ranked 15th against the pass last year, so taking a step forward in that regard will be a goal for the coming campaign. Ramsey is positioned to handle a central role in that effort through the 2028 campaign.

Just like the Surtain deal, this pact will represent a target for extension-eligible corners next offseason. The likes of Sauce Gardner, Derek Stingley and Jaycee Horn will be in line for new deals in the spring. The previous high point for the position in terms of AAV was $21MM, but a new benchmark has been established. It will be interesting to see how the market takes shape once the next wave of monster extensions comes about in 2025.

Dolphins Restructures: Ramsey, Armstead, Sieler, Ingold, Smythe

The Dolphins were in a dangerous situation working with quite a precarious cap number. In an effort to get within compliance, Miami reworked the deals of several players in order to lessen their respective salary cap impacts.

One of the biggest deals to get done was the restructure of star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the team converted $13.89MM of Ramsey’s 2024 base salary (now only $1.21MM) and an $11MM roster bonus into a signing bonus while adding an additional void year to the two already in existence at the end of his contract.

The work put in by both sides resulted in a cap clearance of $19.91MM.

Here are a few other restructured deals the Dolphins utilized to increase their available cap space:

  • We mentioned after the re-signing of offensive guard Robert Jones that an adjusted contract was on the way for left tackle Terron Armstead. Lo and behold, per Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald, Armstead will accept a $4.25MM pay cut in 2024 while bringing in $10MM of guaranteed salary. His new deal includes a $7.29MM signing bonus, as well. The adjustments cleared another $10.29MM of cap space for the Dolphins.
  • It was Michael Ginnitti at Spotrac.com who informed us of the remaining adjustments. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler contributed by agreeing to convert $7.01MM of his 2024 base salary (now only $1.13MM) into a signing bonus while adding two void years to the end of his deal, resulting in the clearance of $5.6MM of cap space. Fullback Alec Ingold chipped in by agreeing to convert $2.08MM of his 2024 salary (now also $1.13MM) into a signing bonus while adding two void years to the end of his contract, as well, resulting in $1.66MM of cap space clearance. Finally, tight end Durham Smythe agreed to convert $2MM of his 2024 base salary (now also $1.13MM) into a signing bonus while adding three void years to the end of his current deal, resulting in $1.6MM of new cap space. Oyefusi points out that the addition of all those void years speaks to the dire nature of the team’s salary cap position. They ended up finding cap compliance in time for the new league year, but the cap hits of those void years will find them eventually.

Coaching Notes: Vrabel, Fangio, Dolphins, Eagles, Marrone, Saints, Titans, Bills

Seeing as Mike Vrabel went from highly regarded HC to trade candidate to bumped off this year’s carousel entirely, potential reasoning behind the ex-Titans boss’ standing is certainly relevant. Vrabel’s old-school, intimidating style may have been a factor in him not landing a job, with a GM going so far as to mention to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini this even could even extend to his physical stature. The former NFL linebacker also may have found himself pigeonholed as a slightly older candidate, even at 48, than some owners wanted, Russini offered during an appearance on The Athletic Football Show. Only Jim Harbaugh (60) and Dan Quinn (53) was older among this year’s eight HC hires. Vrabel interviewed for the Falcons, Panthers and Chargers’ jobs.

Some teams were interested in hiring Vrabel as a defensive coordinator, Russini adds, but the six-year NFL HC has not been connected to any specific coordinator jobs. With not many DC positions left, Vrabel seems likely to join Bill Belichick as coaches on the outside looking in this year. Vrabel may stand to have a better chance of landing another HC job moving forward, with Belichick set to turn 72 in April. For now, however, he is out of the league. The reports about Vrabel clashing with Titans ownership may have impacted his chances as well.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • On the subject of coaching clashes, Vic Fangio‘s style did not appear to draw universal praise while with the Dolphins. Jalen Ramsey, Jevon Holland and rookie Cam Smith expressed issues with the veteran DC, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley notes. While praising Fangio’s old-school demands, Tyreek Hill also relayed a rumor about others indicating behind closed doors the team’s 2023 DC wanted to return to Philadelphia. Previously mentioned as rubbing some in Miami the wrong way, Fangio is indeed back with the Eagles. The Dolphins have hired ex-Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver to replace him.
  • Preparing to hire Klint Kubiak as offensive coordinator, the Saints will not extend Doug Marrone‘s second stint with the team into the 2024 season. In place as the Saints’ offensive line coach from 2022-23, Marrone will not be asked back, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. The Saints have veteran O-line coach John Benton as a frontrunner to fill the spot, NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson adds. Benton, 60, would be a logical hire. He worked as Gary Kubiak‘s O-line coach for eight years in Houston and was the 49ers’ O-line coach under Kyle Shanahan from 2017-20. After following Robert Saleh to New York in 2021, Benton spent this past season out of football.
  • Former Falcons assistants Steve Jackson and Frank Bush will be part of new Titans DC Dennard Wilson‘s staff, ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport tweets. A former Texans DC and interim Jets DC, Bush was on Arthur Smith‘s Falcons staff as linebackers coach for three years. This will be a return trip for Jackson, who has a history as a player and a coach with the franchise. A former Oilers cornerback, Jackson finished his career in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans. He later served as assistant DBs coach under Mike Mularkey in Tennessee from 2016-17. Jackson spent the past two seasons with the Falcons.
  • The Bills are moving senior defensive assistant Al Holcomb to a position coach role. The former Panthers DC will replace Bobby Babich as Buffalo’s linebackers coach, ESPN.com’s Alaina Getzenberg notes. Babich is now Buffalo’s DC. Holcomb, who worked with Sean McDermott in Carolina, joined the Bills last year. The AFC East champs are also promoting Marcus West from assistant defensive line coach to D-line coach to replace Eric Washington, who became the Bears’ DC last month.

Dolphins Activate CB Jalen Ramsey

As expected, Jalen Ramsey is on track to make his Dolphins debut tomorrow. The All-Pro corner was officially activated from injured reserve on Saturday.

Ramsey has been out through the start of the 2023 season, his first in Miami. He was originally not expected to recover from his meniscus repair until next month, but optimism for a quicker timeline has since been put in place. A report from earlier this week pointed to Week 8 as the point at which Ramsey could be activated, and the team has now taken the expected step of activating him in time for Sunday’s game.

The Dolphins traded for the six-time Pro Bowler in March, leading to expectations for a dramatic improvement in their secondary. Under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Miami has put up middling performances against the pass so far while recording just three interceptions. Ramsey will be a welcomed addition to a CB room which just saw Nik Needham activated from the PUP list.

Ramsey, 29, has recovered well ahead of schedule with recent indications suggesting an earlier-than-expected return to the field. Plenty of attention will no doubt be on him with respect to his mobility coming off a major knee injury, but also his ability to live up to expectations with the Dolphins, who guaranteed his 2024 salary as part of the trade agreement with the Rams (which saw a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long sent Los Angeles’ way). The Florida State alum’s pact runs through 2025, so his performance will be a key talking point given his new team’s commitment to him.

The Dolphins have Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou in place as starters, and Ramsey will take his place opposite the former on the perimeter when he suits up. Eli Apple has managed to carve out a rotational role so far, but Ramsey’s activation should relegate him to a lesser workload moving forward (as has been the case to date for second-round rookie Cam Smith). It will be interesting to see how the team’s CB arrangement with respect to Needham and Kohou in particular shakes out with Ramsey back in the fold.

Clearing the latter to suit up will leave Miami with five IR activations for the rest of the season. To make room for Ramsey on the active roster, depth corner Parry Nickerson was released.