One area where the Minnesota Vikings likely don't feel the most comfortable is at the cornerback position.
They have some good players. Byron Murphy Jr. made the Pro Bowl Games last year and is one of the better and versatile cornerbacks in the National Football League. However, after Murphy is a lot of question marks.
We don't know what Isaiah Rodgers will be as a starter, Mekhi Blackmon is coming off a torn ACL, Jeff Okudah is always injured, and Dwight McGlothern is an undrafted rookie from 2024. The cornerback room has prompted a lot of discussion when it comes to adding to the room.
Vikings should avoid trading for Jalen Ramsey
The biggest name potentially on the market is cornerback Jalen Ramsey. He has been on the trade market for a few weeks now, as the Miami Dolphins have continued to make it known that he is available.
One team that has been linked to Ramsey is the Vikings. It's worth mentioning that the Vikings aren't currently one of the teams that are being heavily linked to Ramsey. As long as he's available, there will be rumblings.
Sure, Ramsey is a talented player and has been an all-pro in the past. However, there is a reason why Ramsey is being traded.
He's not the same player.
Ramsey is also on a very expensive contract, as the Dolphins signed him to a three-year, $72 million extension. According to Over The Cap's Jason Fitzgerald, any team acquiring Ramsey would be on the hook for $21 million in 2025.
For a team acquiring Ramsey they would be on the hook for a virtually guaranteed $21 million for 2025, which would be the 7th highest salary in the NFL for a corner. The team would have the option to take on all of the cap charge this year or to maintain the option that exists in the contract with the Dolphins and take on a $5.826 million cap charge for this season. Ramsey has a $5 million injury guarantee on his $21 million salary in 2026 which would become fully guaranteed along with a $2 million roster bonus on the 3rd day of the 2026 league year. He has a non guaranteed $21.7 salary million for 2027, and $24 million for 2028.
Let's not beat around the bush here. Ramsey is still a very good football player, he's just not the same elite player that he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams. His ball production has significantly decreased over the last two years and he allowed a career-high 70.8% completion percentage last year.
Ramsey is set to turn 31 years old in October, and that is where things are complicated. Adding a player of his caliber when you consider age and financial implications could be a mistake on many levels. Sure, he could stabilize the cornerback position for the season, but is it worth the price to pay and the burden of the salary cap cost?
With cornerback being a weak-link position, they can manage with the guys they currently have, or find another cornerback to trade for who would be less expensive than what Ramsey will end up costing. Are you willing to give up a young cornerback like Blackmon and a draft pick to facilitate the move? It won't be cheap, as Ramsey is still highly viewed across the league.
With Ramsey already on the downswing of his career, this could be a detrimental move for the Vikings.
