Even though Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill says he plans to talk cornerback Jalen Ramsey into staying with the team, those chances seem increasingly slim.
Ramsey has remained a hot topic in trade speculation throughout the offseason. That’s despite not outright requesting a trade. But following discussions with Dolphins general manager Chris Grier, the two parties have reportedly agreed to part ways eventually.
Ramsey hasn’t been shy about signaling his exit.
“For the record btw, I’ve loved every city I’ve played in & the fans who supported! The anger is very misplaced at times but sometimes valid too but real ones kno the intentions always solid! … A new chapter awaits,” Ramsey wrote at the end of May.
Still, no trade or release has come to pass. Meanwhile, questions surrounding Ramsey’s next destination persist, including potential fits such as the Los Angeles Rams or Pittsburgh Steelers. Fox Sports’ David Helman, however, thinks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the perfect landing spot.
“Ramsey is the easiest star to speculate about, since the Dolphins have acknowledged they’re trying to trade him,” Helman wrote. “There’s been plenty of talk about a reunion with the Rams, and there’s a lot of smoke that a trade to Pittsburgh could be coming. Personally, I don’t know how much sense either of those destinations makes.
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“If I’m purely looking for fit, how about a trade that’d send Ramsey a short drive up I-75 to Tampa? The Buccaneers have the cap space, and their roster looks primed for another run at the NFC South title. Yes, Tampa Bay did spend two big picks at cornerback during the draft, but wouldn’t it be exciting to have a player like Ramsey to mentor them at least for the 2025 season? Or, if need be, they could easily play Ramsey with Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety. The fun thing about this trade is it would pair Ramsey with one of the league’s best defensive minds in Bucs head coach Todd Bowles.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer added that some NFL personnel now view Ramsey as more of a safety than a cornerback.
“The more people I talk to, the more I think Jalen Ramsey’s value now really is as a safety,” Breer wrote. “That, by the way, doesn’t mean he can’t play corner anymore. He can. It’s just that, at this point, if you’re bringing him in, leaning into what he still does well and planning on having him as more than a stopgap rental, then safety is likely where his future lies.”
That shift has as much to do with his age—Ramsey turned 30 in October—as it does his contract. One NFL executive told Breer Ramsey is “like a $10 million to $12 million player” at this point.
“That’s about half of the $21.1 million Ramsey has left on his deal for this year (a $4 million roster bonus has already been paid out), and sets a decent range for what the Miami Dolphins might have to do, as far as eating money goes, to get a decent return for the former All-Pro,” Breer added. “Ramsey’s number is $21 million for next year, so if another team gets him for this year at $10 million, you could reason that he’s a $15 million per year guy for that team for the next two years.”
Ramsey’s three-year, $72.3 million extension signed last year remains a central issue in any potential trade scenario. The Buccaneers would at least be in position to absorb some of it, as they currently sit $26.6 million under the cap, per Over The Cap.
