It seems like only a matter of time until the Miami Dolphins deal cornerback Jalen Ramsey, and when they do it could be to the Minnesota Vikings.
CBS Sports NFL analyst Jason McCourty brought up Minnesota as a potential fit for Ramsey, who has reportedly been told he will be traded during the off-season period.
A trade would reunite Ramsey with Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell, since they were together with the Los Angeles Rams when they won the Super Bowl in 2021. O’Connell was LA’s offensive coordinator.
Ramsey, 30, is a three-time first-team All-Pro and has been voted to the Pro Bowl in four of the past five seasons. He had two interceptions, one sack and 11 passes defended in 17 games for the Dolphins in 2024.
Still, whoever his next team is will be Ramsey’s fourth of his 10-season NFL career, and that team will be on the hook for at least the next two seasons of the three-year, $72 million contract he signed before the 2024 campaign.
Why Would The Minnesota Vikings Be A Fit For Jalen Ramsey?
McCourty suggested Minnesota would be a superior fit, and it wasn’t just because of Ramsey’s history with O’Connell.
“Jalen Ramsey is so talented and can play so many different positions — slot (DB), safety, corner,” McCourty said on the “Up and Adams” show Tuesday, “I think that would be a ton of fun if you could see [defensive coordinator] Brian Flores using him as a chess piece and move him all around [the field] and get him blitzing and showing all the talents that he has.”
Aside from Ramsey fitting in with Minnesota’s coaching staff, it could use an upgrade in the secondary too. The Vikings ranked 28th in the NFL in passing-yards against per game (242) in 2024, despite finishing tied with the Houston Texans for the fourth-most sacks in the NFL (49).
Plus, McCourty, who played for Flores in Miami, thinks he would be a great coach for Ramsey.
“[Flores] is an open and honest guy,” McCourty said. “As you get older in this league, like Jalen Ramsey, you’re craving that. … Him and [Flores] would fit fine together.”
Still, the Vikings aren’t the only team in the mix to acquire the star-caliber corner. Ramsey’s former team the Rams are considered the favorites to land him, and McCourty also mentioned the Atlanta Falcons and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who was LA’s defensive coordinator from 2021-23.
“You insert him playing opposite of (2020 first-round pick) A.J. Terrell,” McCourty said. “That is a difference maker.”
There are other teams like the Dallas Cowboys linked to a Ramsey trade, but McCourty called out the Vikings, Rams and Falcons because he feels their personal relationships will go a long way with a player of Ramsey’s caliber.
“You want to have people in high positions who know him and know what you’re gonna get from him,” McCourty said.
Why Are The Miami Dolphins Trading Jalen Ramsey?
The seemingly imminent deal with Ramsey to the Vikings — or anyone else — is a head-scratcher to McCourty.
“They’re not a rebuilding franchise,” McCourty said. “They’re trying to win, so the fact that the relationship has gone sour … you kind of start scratching your head.
“You just paid this guy. I thought he was one of your guys. The fact he is not going to be there, I don’t really understand.”
Money could be a part of any potential Ramsey trade, since Miami reportedly stands to gain about $10 million in 2025 cap space — plus more in subsequent years — if it trades him after June 1.
