On Sunday the Los Angeles Rams agreed to trade Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins. After a non-commitment from the Rams front office, Ramsey is finally on the move. The trade will be processed Wednesday, when the 2023 league year officially begins.
Dolphins Receive:
CB Jalen Ramsey
Rams Receive:
No. 77 third-round pick
TE Hunter Long
Dolphins:
Grade: A
Gut Check: The Dolphins continue to be aggressive in the trade market by shoring up their secondary pairing Jalen Ramsey with All-Pro Xavier Woods. This feels like a quality addition at an excellent price considering the Rams sent two first rounders and a fourth to the Jaguars in 2021 for Ramsey. Last year the Dolphins secondary left a lot to be desired and ranked in the bottom half of the league so bringing in Ramsey should bring some stability to the back end. The hiring of Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator bodes well for this group in 2023. Overall, the Dolphins get a quality player near the top of his position for next to nothing. Expect the Dolphins to make some serious noise in 2023.
Rams:
Grade: C
Gut Check: This seems entirely like a cost cutting measure and a recoup of a draft pick. The Rams notoriously went in on big name trades in an effort to keep their Super Bowl window open. A strategy that paid off in their Super Bowl victory over the Bengals in the 2021 season. However, after a 2022 season marred by injury to key players, the Rams may be looking to build their roster up a bit in an attempt to stay relevant in the NFC. Regardless, trading away a top 5 player at his position is never an easy gap to fill. Especially for only a third-round pick and a backup tight end. The only benefit to this trade seems to be the money the Rams will save. After trading Ramsey, the Rams will have $50 million available in cap space for 2024. Overall, the compensation received for Ramsey does not seem adequate at all and is a vain attempt to try and dig themselves out of salary cap hell.