The NFL offseason has already seen some big moves made, with Derek Carr signing with the Saints and the Panthers trading up for the No. 1 pick in the Draft from Chicago, but on Monday things will really get going as free agency gets set to begin.
That meant most expected Sunday to be a day of rumblings about what teams would be pursuing what players, but early in the afternoon word broke from Josina Anderson and Ian Rapoport that the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams were in deep talks about a trade that would send All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Miami.
I’m told the #Rams & the #Dolphins are in deep discussions on a trade for CB Jalen Ramsey. A deal is not finalized, but there’s “a high likelihood” it happens, at this time, per a league source. A lot of teams are interested in Ramsey, but the focus is on where he wants to be.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) March 12, 2023
Sources: The #Rams are in talks to trade All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey to the #Dolphins. A blockbuster. pic.twitter.com/CeR9zuJi9T
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 12, 2023
While the deal wasn’t finalized, it certainly seemed like the details were simply a formality, particularly after Ramsey tweeted about his excitement over the news of his impending move.
MOOD pic.twitter.com/BRLYujsNqT
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) March 12, 2023
Shortly after, Adam Schefter brought word of the details of the trade, saying it was done, with Miami sending a third rounder and tight end Hunter Long to L.A. for Ramsey.
Trade is now agreed to, per sources:
Dolphins get Pro Bowl CB Jalen Ramsey.
Trade will be processed Wednesday, when league year begins. pic.twitter.com/0KJIeoS6fj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2023
The Dolphins pass defense was a disappointment in 2022, allowing opponents to complete 66.7 percent of their passes (26th in NFL), throw for 3,992 yards (26th in NFL), and 27 touchdowns (25th in NFL) while only picking off opponents eight times (29th in NFL). Ramsey would be a welcome addition to that group as they look to add a true shutdown corner who can bring some more physicality on the outside.
For the Rams, they are likely looking for a bit of a reset in terms of their allocation of resources, as this is clearly not a move to get better on the field. They don’t get a ton back for Ramsey, adding just a mid-round pick, but they do move off a considerable amount of money on their cap sheet, as Ramsey had three years remaining on his deal. Provided Ramsey continues to play at the level he has, this is certainly a strong value play for a Dolphins team that had a bunch of cap space coming into this offseason and, rather than simply looking for free agent additions, found a star on the trade market they could land and just absorb into space.