As mandatory minicamp continues across the NFL, there have been a few notable absences. For the Miami Dolphins, the most obvious is that of cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Ramsey, however, has been excused from the team’s minicamp activities, according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. That’s likely due to the current state of the relationship between Ramsey and the Dolphins.
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Miami general manager Chris Grier is actively working to find a trade partner to move on from Ramsey. The issue is identifying a team willing to absorb a significant portion of the remaining salary he’s owed. Ramsey, who turns 31 in October, signed a three-year, $72.3 million extension with the Dolphins just last season.
Any team looking to meet the Dolphins’ financial demands will need to have enough cap space to make it work. One team that fits that scenario is the Las Vegas Raiders, according to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, who suggested the Raiders could send back a 2026 fifth-round pick in return.
“Just one year after landing a $74 million extension from the Miami Dolphins, Ramsey is fully anticipating a breakup as his AFC East squad rebuilds its defense,” Benjamin wrote. “The seven-time Pro Bowler will likely fetch little more than a mid- to late-round draft pick in a trade given his age (30) and financial demands, but his wealth of both experience and attitude will convince someone to slot him in as a ‘missing piece’ for 2025. A reunion with the Los Angeles Rams makes the most sense from a title-chasing perspective, but if it’s compensation that ultimately seals the deal here, a move to Sin City feels right up Ramsey’s alley; the Las Vegas Raiders are flush with salary cap space, and coach Pete Carroll is all about physical defense.”
The Raiders, who have over $36 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap, are one of the few teams financially positioned to take on Ramsey’s contract with minimal restructuring.
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As for the connection to the Rams, that will likely persist until a move is officially made, given that Los Angeles was Ramsey’s previous team before trading him to Miami in 2019. Rams head coach Sean McVay hasn’t exactly shut the door on the possibility, either.
The only drawback to a potential deal with Las Vegas is that Ramsey would be heading to another non-contending team, as the Raiders are currently in the midst of a minor rebuild. Still, given the current outlook in Miami, the situation in Las Vegas may actually be an upgrade for the All-Pro cornerback.
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