At the start of the new league year on Wednesday, Jalen Ramsey will officially become a member of the Miami Dolphins. The Los Angeles Rams agreed to trade him to Miami on Sunday, parting ways with the star cornerback after three-plus seasons.
The Rams didn’t get much in return – only a third-rounder and TE Hunter Long – but this was about shedding money and freeing up space in both 2023 and 2024.
As is the case with every trade, there are winners and losers – players and teams that will benefit or suffer from this move.
Winner: Jalen Ramsey
Ramsey comes out of this trade on the winning end. Not only does he get traded away from a team that seems to be entering a rebuild, but the final two years of his contract are now fully guaranteed at $20 million per year, and he received an additional $25 million guaranteed. Oh, and there’s no state income tax in Florida.
Ramsey undoubtedly was integral in getting this deal done and picking his next team, so it’s no coincidence that he got traded to the Dolphins and immediately earned a reworked contract. He’s understandably thrilled about this trade.
Winners: Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick
Durant and Kendrick both had opportunities to start at cornerback last season. Those chances should only grow now that Ramsey is gone. That makes both second-year corners winners in this trade, and it’s undoubtedly a show of confidence from the Rams. They likely wouldn’t have made this trade if they didn’t believe in Durant and Kendrick as starting-caliber cornerbacks.
That’s not to say they’ll excel and turn into Pro Bowlers next season, but they’re going to get plenty of chances to contribute on defense – more so than they even got last year. They’ll be two of the most experienced corners on the roster barring a veteran addition.
Losers: Tyler Higbee and Brycen Hopkins
Higbee already looked like a potential cap casualty for the Rams, bringing $6.75 million in cap space as a post-June 1 cut. Now with Hunter Long coming aboard, it makes Higbee’s future even less certain. Hopkins is a much cheaper tight end for the Rams to keep around, but his spot as the No. 2 tight end could be up for grabs now.
Long isn’t a star or proven player by any means – he only has one career catch – but his arrival as a former third-round pick certainly throws a wrench into things at tight end.
Winner: Hunter Long
Long goes from a team that didn’t view him very highly to one that was seeking tight end help this offseason. That could be the change of scenery he needed to live up to expectations as a former third-round pick. At the very least, he could get a chance to be the No. 2 tight end, either behind Higbee or Hopkins. Or if he really breaks out, perhaps he could become a starter.
Regardless, he’ll get more snaps in Los Angeles than he did with the Dolphins the last two seasons.
Loser: The Rams
Sorry, but the Rams lost this trade. It’s not hard to understand why they wanted to move on from Ramsey, who was seeking a raise from a team that’s trying to free up cap space, but they should’ve been able to get more for a three-time All-Pro cornerback – at least a second-round pick.
Instead, they came away with a third-rounder and a tight end with one career catch. Neither will have the impact that Ramsey did the last three-plus years, nor will they bring the same value that Ramsey would’ve in 2023.
