Dolphins pursuing trade options for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins are pursuing trade options for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, general manager Chris Grier confirmed on Tuesday.

Ramsey did not ask for a trade, and he didn't ask for more money, Grier clarified, but after weeks of conversations with Ramsey's representation, both sides agreed it would be best to potentially move on.

“These decisions aren't done quickly," Grier said at his pre-NFL draft news conference. "And they're not taken lightly because we've spent a lot of time this offseason working through this, talking through things."

Miami has been in talks with a few teams about a potential trade. Grier declined to go into detail about the contents of discussions he's had with Ramsey, and did not give a clear reason for potentially parting ways with the cornerback, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and given a three-year, $72.3 million contract extension ahead of the 2024 season. That deal made Ramsey the highest-paid cornerback in the league at the time.

Ramsey already earned a $4 million roster bonus from the Dolphins at the start of the league year in March. The team that trades for him would have to pay Ramsey around $21 million, which he's guaranteed in 2025, per overthecap.com.

His departure would leave Miami needing to fill two starting cornerback slots after releasing Kendall Fuller, who started 11 games in 2024.

Kader Kohou will start at nickel, though Grier said he's versatile enough to play inside and outside. Miami added Artie Burns in free agency and has young cornerbacks Storm Duck and Cam Smith.

“We feel good about where it is. It’s never easy to replace a player like Jalen," Grier said. "He was a good player for us. He’s a good player. He’ll probably be a Hall of Famer. But for the Miami Dolphins going forward, we feel like this is the best chance to help us win not only just this year but in the future as well.”

Smith's ability to move into a permanent starting role remains to be seen, but the Dolphins could certainly use a jump from the former second-round pick. He was limited to just six games last season because of injuries and barely played as a rookie in 2023.

Cam Smith needs to come through at the end of the day," Grier said. “He’s got to stay healthy and be on the field. He has shown some flashes, but this is a very big year. He knows what’s expected because we can’t hold his hand and wait for him anymore.”

There's a chance Ramsey will not be traded. Grier said if that happens, “We'll deal with it," adding that he's not sure if a trade will materialize before this month's draft.

Ramsey was traded from the Rams in March 2023, but a knee injury early in his first Dolphins training camp sidelined him the first half of the season. Still, he made his seventh Pro Bowl that season after three interceptions, five pass breakups and 22 tackles in 10 games.

He played all 17 games in 2024 but missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2019. He finished with 60 tackles, two interceptions, 11 passes deflected and a sack.

During the season, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver described Ramsey as the “ultimate chess piece” that the team can move around the field to maximize his impact, which has been felt since he entered the NFL as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ fifth overall pick in 2016.

Grier did not say if Ramsey was unhappy with his role.

A Ramsey trade would be another huge loss, as Miami will no longer have key veterans in defensive tackle Calais Campbell and left tackle Terron Armstead.

Campbell, who played in Miami on a one-year deal last season, chose to re-sign with the team that drafted him in the Arizona Cardinals, and Armstead recently announced his retirement after 12 NFL seasons.

Grier was hesitant to call this another rebuild for the Dolphins, who finished a disappointing 2024 season by missing the playoffs.

“That word has not been brought up at all,” Grier said. "We have a lot of really good football players on this roster still at some places that impact games, so that word has not been used at all. Our goal is to win, win this year and keep winning for sustained success in the future.”

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