NFL Insider Jonathan Jones of CBS reports that teams like the Falcons and Raiders will have interest in Jalen Ramsey if the price is right regarding trade compensation.
Per Jonathan Jones: “One league source said they were aware of Miami’s interest in moving Ramsey as early as the NFL Scouting Combine in February. Another source believes the Dolphins going public is an effort to gin up a market for Ramsey that just isn’t there right now. Teams like the Falcons and Raiders should have some level of interest if the price is right.
The three-time first-team All-Pro cornerback is entering his age-31 season and due $21.1 million in guaranteed money for 2025. The Dolphins are prepared to take on the $29.2 million cap hit to trade Ramsey next week (or before June 1), but sources say teams are balking at being on the hook for all of Ramsey’s 2025 salary.
It seems if Miami wants to get a deal done during the draft weekend, the Dolphins will need to pay some of Ramsey’s salary as well to facilitate the trade. Otherwise, Miami can just wait until June 1 when it can split his cap charge over two seasons and then deal Ramsey. If a team is still willing to pay his full salary, of course.”
A trade has Miami eating $25.8 million of dead cap this season, and it costs Miami $8.5 million of salary cap space. If a trade happens post-June 1st the numbers change, but still are not good for the Dolphins from a financial standpoint.
From a contract perspective, this trade has no upside, and it is still unclear why Miami is trading Ramsey. There is a lot of rumor and innuendo out there as to why, but nothing official.
The Dolphins’ secondary will be in shambles, with Miami losing all four starters from last season if/when Ramsey is traded. This offseason, they have added Ifeatu Melifonwu and Ashtyn Davis at the safety position. They have yet to add a cornerback and will now depend on Cam Smith, Storm Duck, and Kader Kohou as well as any rookies they add at that position.
When Ramsey is moved, the cornerback position is up there with the defensive line as the biggest need on this team right now, heading into the 2025 season. I would expect Miami to look to add an unsigned veteran cornerback on the open market still.
Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr., Stephon Gilmore, Mike Hilton, and CJ Henderson are still available players on the market whom Miami may target.
This move would also signal the end of the failed rebuild that began in 2019, which Stephen Ross and Chris Grier began. It was a rebuild that did get the Dolphins back into the playoffs but resulted in no real results in regard to playoff wins or division titles.
