The Miami Dolphins are exploring options to move on from three time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the team’s general manager Chris Grier announced Tuesday.
“Really after a couple weeks of discussions between ourselves internally and Jalen and his representation, we decided that it was probably in the best interest for all parties to move forward,” Grier said at a news conference. “I will say these decisions aren’t done quickly and they’re not taken lightly because we spent a lot of time this offseason working through this, talking through things. At the end of the day, Jalen did not ask for a trade.”
Jalen Ramsey started all 17 games for the Dolphins last season, a much needed bounce back for the Super Bowl champion who missed the last seven games the year prior due to injury. General manger Chris Grier understands the talent he would be shipping away, but feels his team is prepared to deal with it.
“So we’re prepared if he’s here, we’ll deal with it and if he’s not, we’ll adjust as well,” Grier added. “It’s never easy to replace a player like Jalen. He was a good player for us, he’s a good player, he’ll probably be a Hall of Famer here. But for the Miami Dolphins going forward, we feel like this is the best chance to help us win, not only just this year, but in the future as well.”
If Ramsey is moved before the start of June, the team will give off the $21.1 million the 30-year-old corner was set to make this season.
A Diminished Cornerback Room
Before the announcement, the Dolphins’ cornerback room’s ability to produce was already in question.
“The immediate impact, though, is that Ramsey’s departure would make the cornerback position an even bigger issue than it already is,” wrote SI’s Alain Poupart. “The Dolphins now look like they’re about to add another big name to their talent drain of the past year and a half.”
Grier understands that the position group may be strapped heading into the 2025 season, and says he will be looking toward the teams 2023 second round pick Cam Smith to step up this year.
“Cam Smith needs to come through at the end of the day, he’s got to stay healthy and be on the field,” Grier said about the 24-year-old. “He has shown some flashes, but this is a very big year of him. He knows what’s expected, because we can’t hold his hand and wait for him anymore.”
Dolphins Deny Team ‘Rebuild’
The Dolphins offseason so far has been headlined by the team shipping off one premier talent after the other.
“After the Dolphins released veteran Kendall Fuller in mid-February, Ramsey was left as the one sure thing among the outside cornerbacks,” wrote Poupart. “The defense already has lost this offseason two of its biggest names when lineman Calais Campbell and safety Jevon Holland left in free agency.”
However, general manager Grier won’t even utter the word ‘rebuild’.
“That word has not been brought up at all,” he said in the conference. “We have a lot of really good football players on this roster still, at some places that impact games. So that word has not been used at all and our goal is to win this year and keep winning for sustained success in the future.”
