The Miami Dolphins and All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey are at an impasse. Both sides have agreed to part ways after the Dolphins signed him to a huge three-year, $72.3 million contract extension last September.
Most think that the dispute between the two sides is contract related, but a source tells Armando Salguero of Outkick that it has nothing to do with money.
“The issue between the Dolphins and Ramsey is not monetary,” Salgeuro writes. “The club gave him a new contract in 2024 and apparently is not asking him to take a pay cut. The source tells me the reason Ramsey and the Dolphins have agreed to part ways is because the player and head coach Mike McDaniel do not see eye to eye.”
Salguero says that Ramsey “is leaving because his relationship with the head coach is irreparably broken and one cannot see himself playing for the other.”
So yes, the situation sounds irreparable.
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Ramsey is known throughout the NFL as a shutdown, elite cornerback, even though that’s not exactly true. In the last two season with the Dolphins, Ramsey has had five interceptions in 27 games. While one can’t really judge a corner on interceptions alone (many would argue that low interception totals mean that teams aren’t throwing his way), the 30-year old Ramsey hasn’t exactly passed the eyeball test in recent years.
So, maybe some of this has to do with money (it always seems to). Maybe any problems between the coaches and Ramsey are simply exacerbated by his large contract.
Apparently McDaniel isn’t the only coach who has issues with Ramsey
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver joined the club in 2024. And, it doesn’t sound like Weaver and Ramsey have been getting along famously in the one year they’ve been together either.
“In this game, things change by the day,” Weaver said last week. “I have a tremendous amount of respect of Ramsey. He played very good ball for us but relationships are hard. Both sides have mutually chosen to go the other way. I respect that and wish him nothing but the best.”
“I’m not getting any sympathy cards from anybody,” Weaver added. “It’s my job — and our job collectively as a staff — to find a way to make these pieces work. What I know is every player that is here is trying to get better and has bought in.”
It sounds like – according to Weaver – Ramsey isn’t buying whatever he’s selling.
Are some of these problems between Dolphins players and coaches systemic?
After defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and the Dolphins mutually parted ways in January of 2024, Miami defenders didn’t seem all that upset about it. Cornerback Cam Smith sent out a tweet shortly thereafter of a meme of an unlocked lock, implying that he was finally free. Safety Jevon Holland‘s father Robert even got in on the action, tweeting “Everybody loves the iPhone but nobody wants the iPhone #1. #Upgrade.”
That was apparently a shot at Fangio’s age, implying the game has passed him by. Someone should tell the Philadelphia Eagles that Fangio is an old dog that can’t learn any new tricks, after he led a dominant Eagles’ defense to a 2024 Super Bowl Championship. Philadelphia doesn’t seem to think Fangio is a problem, quite the opposite.
Are the Dolphins simply raising problem children? Holland and Smith clearly didn’t like Fangio and now Ramsey can’t deal with McDaniel and Weaver. Something smells funny in Miami if all these players are having issues with coaches. Oh, and there is wide receiver Tyreek Hill, but who knows what his problem is with the team?
The Ramsey situation is concerning, however. What is so bad between him and the coaches that they not only don’t want him around, but he doesn’t seem to be easy to trade either? Many of these kinds of trades occur over the course of the NFL Draft, but April came and went and still no trade.
Regardless, Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo is treating Ramsey’s exit like a foregone conclusion, and is excited for young players to step up and fill his role.
“Look at the guys we got — what a great opportunity to step up because [Ramsey] was a starter that no longer going to be here,” Araujo said. “So great. Here’s an opportunity to go play ball. This is what every NFL player wants — opportunity — and here’s opportunity. We’re focused on their development, we’re focused on building that culture, we’re focused on the standard upholding every single day.”
