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Dolphins Get Praise, High Marks for Ramsey Trade

The Miami Dolphins pulled off quite a coup when they landed three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams
Todd Karpovich|
Dolphins Get Praise, High Marks for Ramsey Trade
Dolphins Get Praise, High Marks for Ramsey Trade

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Miami Dolphins

The happiest person about Jalen Ramsey landing with the Miami Dolphins is ... Jalen Ramsey.

The Dolphins are also getting accolades for how Ramsey will strengthen the secondary. Ramsey, 28, will join fellow Pro Bowl selection Xavien Howard at cornerback, giving Miami more ability to play man-to-man coverage. The secondary is also supported by Jevon Holland, who is emerging as a legitimate playmaker at safety.

The Dolphins acquired Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams in a trade that will become official Wednesday in exchange for tight end Hunter Long and a 2023 third-round pick. The Dolphins then restructured Ramsey's contract, guaranteeing his 2023 salary of $17 million and his 2024 salary of $18.5 million.The Dolphins have some serious star power with Ramsey, newly acquired edge rusher Bradley Chubb, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Ramsey has taken some criticism for his recent performances but the numbers prove otherwise. He was Pro Football Focus’ third-highest-graded cornerback last season behind NFL Defensive Rookie Year of the Year Sauce Gardner of the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II, who was a first-team All-Pro.

Ramsey finished last season with 88 tackles, two sacks and four interceptions for a Rams team that struggled much of the year, finishing at 5-12.

Nonetheless, opposing quarterbacks could be challenged to throw on the Dolphins’ secondary, which should be able to create more turnovers this season.

Ramsey's new teammates are certainly excited about the acquisition.

DOLPHINS TRADE GRADES

CBS Sports: A

"Acquiring a 28-year-old superstar who is one of only seven players in the entire league to make each of the last six Pro Bowls is a significant win. Ramsey was Pro Football Focus' third-highest graded cornerback last season with a grade of 86.4, trailing only 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie Year of the Year and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (87.9) as well as Denver Broncos 2022 First-Team All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II (86.8)."

The Athletic: A-

"Ramsey, 28, has at times been tabbed as the best cornerback in the NFL. One evaluator recently told The Athletic Ramsey was still physically elite last season, but he lost focus at times and was beaten as a result. While a lack of focus would be a concern regardless of circumstance, Ramsey would hardly be the first star to level off in the midst of a team’s lost season, so it stands to reason the cornerback could heighten his play in Miami. If that’s indeed the case, the Dolphins would have themselves a steal with this trade. At minimum, the third-rounder and a tight end with one career catch was worth the shot. The Dolphins are clearly trying to maximize their talent around Tua Tagovailoa while the quarterback plays out his rookie contract, and they’re going to need quality cornerback play if they have designs on competing with the Chiefs, Bengals, Bills and other high-octane offenses in the AFC."

The Sporting News: A-

"The Dolphins trading for Ramsey shouldn't be much of a surprise. He fills a big need for the team, as the team lacked a true top cornerback across from Xavien Howard last season. Byron Jones was supposed to fill that role for Miami. However, he missed the entire season while dealing with complications from an Achilles injury. Without Jones, the Dolphins rotated through a bevy of No. 2 cornerback options, including Nik Needham, Keion Crossen and Noah Igbinoghene. None proved to be an effective long-term replacement for Jones. Ramsey should be one. The veteran cornerback has a long track record of success and could form an elite cornerback duo with Howard. That will require a bit of a bounce back from the latter after a down season by his standards. Still, between Ramsey, Howard and slot-man Kader Kohou, the Dolphins' cornerback room appears to be in good shape. Ramsey's presence will allow the likes of Crossen and Igbinoghene to slot into their roles as backups and special teams aces as opposed to key starters for the team."

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Todd Karpovich
TODD KARPOVICH

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