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Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on before a game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Los Angeles Rams have been linked to several potential trades before and after the 2025 draft when they traded out of the first round, and that remains the case. One of the most popular speculative trade targets for the Rams, Jalen Ramsey, also remains in play.
A three-time All-Pro, Ramsey spent three-plus seasons with the Rams, winning a Super Bowl following the 2021 regular season. LA traded him to the Miami Dolphins in 2023.
His return, though, remains complicated by finances.
“The Miami Dolphins are talking about the fact that they are open to a potential trade. They cannot make a trade until June 1 due to the salary cap ramifications. But we are getting closer to June 1, and you always could agree to a deal and have it done in principle, and then process it on June 1st,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on “NFL Live” on May 14.
“I would expect at some point in early June, we’re going to get a Jalen Ramsey trade somewhere. There’s been more interest, I think, than people realize.”
Ramsey signed a record-setting three-year, $72.3 million contract extension with the Dolphins in September 2024, making him the NFL’s highest-paid corner on average salary.
“Despite an adverse tenure in Miami, which includes multiple injuries dating back to last season, Ramsey’s production as a lockdown cornerback has been invaluable for the Dolphins,” NFL.com’s Michael Baca wrote in September 2024.
Still, he has been openly on the trade block since at least mid-April.
Rams Interested in Jalen Ramsey Trade
GettyJalen Ramsey #5 of the Miami Dolphins takes the field before facing the Tennessee Titans.
The Rams have made no secret about their contact with the Dolphins and interest in potentially reacquiring Ramsey via trade. Rams general manager Les Snead attempted to hedge some of the speculation by expanding the team’s scope.
“I’ve had discussions with Miami. So we’ve discussed getting through the draft. I know there’s a lot of nuances to that situation, based on all the things that come with trades, contracts, and things like that. So, not sure where they’re at in the process,” Snead told reporters on April 22. “You almost come back to a second free agency, per se. Get with your pro scouting staff, and kind of figure out if trades are made, and it’s player for player; things like that. So that’s all part of the process.
“Whether it being Miami and Jalen, I can’t say. There’s a lot of teams with other players that I’ll keep in house.”
Rams head coach Sean McVay acknowledged his affinity for Ramsey amid the trade speculation.
“He’s a great player. We know him very well; we know him intimately. You would certainly never rule out the possibility of that,” McVay told reporters on April 22. “There’s a lot of layers that would need to be worked out with a player of his magnitude, and some of the different things that accompany that.”
“You would never eliminate the possibility of adding a total stud and a guy that can do a lot of different things.”
Logistics of a Jalen Ramsey Trade
GettyJalen Ramsey #5 of the Miami Dolphins leaves the field against the Atlanta Falcons.
Per Over The Cap, trading Ramsey before June 1 would incur a $25.2 million dead cap hit, leaving the Dolphins $8.5 million in the red. Post-June 1, the Dolphins would still have to absorb $6.7 million in dead money, but they would also save $9.9 million.
Additionally, Ramsey carries a $21 million fully guaranteed salary, which an acquiring team like the Rams would have to take on in a trade, per Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti in April.
The Rams have $19.5 million in room as of May 15, per OTC.
Beyond having to move some salary (via player cuts or trade), the Rams would also have to overcome a potential bidding war to land Ramsey in a trade. The cost may not start high, but it could rise quickly if Schefter’s report proves accurate.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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