The new league year is still a few days away but it hasn’t stopped teams from making moves. Jalen Ramsey is now a Miami Dolphin after a shocking trade with the Rams. What does this mean for the Philadelphia Eagles? Let’s dive in.
What did the Rams get for Jalen Ramsey?
Not a lot. A third-round pick and a young tight end with a single NFL reception. Wonderful.
Of course, there is more to this than meets the eye. Jalen Ramsey signed a five-year deal worth $100M with the Rams back in 2020. He carried a $17M cap hit going into 2023 and that number bumps up to $18M and $19M in 2023 & 2025. For Miami, they get one of the best corners in the game to partner with Xavien Howard and someone who will absolutely thrive in Vic Fangio’s defense. For the Rams, they get some flexibility for a much-needed retool after one of the most aggressive spans in recent memory.
How does this impact the Eagles?
First and foremost, it sets the tone for the cornerback market. Darius Slay reportedly wanted to seek a trade and who could blame him? In the twilight of his career, the veteran corner carries a huge cap hit for a contract he’s very much earned. The issue is that the Eagles need cap space and Slay wants to secure the money he’s owed.
If Jalen Ramsey, who has a smaller cap hit than Darius Slay in 2023, can only command a third-rounder and a backup TE, then the Eagles would be lucky to get a text back for the services of Darius Slay, a 32-year-old CB who did struggle in the latter stages of the season, and brings a bigger cap-hit to swallow.
This should bode well for the Eagles. Slay may decide to take less and stay in an environment he’s comfortable in as opposed to push for a trade to a team that’s maybe averaging 3/4 wins a season and is nowhere near competing. If anything, the Jalen Ramsey trade may prompt the former Pro Bowler to realize that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
What about the CB2 spot?
Then, there’s James Bradberry. The FA market isn’t exactly glistening with top talent. Ronald Darby, William Jackson and Bradley Roby are the most prominent names, while Rock Ya-Sin and Cameron Sutton are among the younger corners who could command a bigger payday due to their long-term upside.
James Bradberry is going to be one of the premier corners in this class. He had 17 pass deflections, three interceptions, and allowed a passer rating of only 51.6 against him. He also only allowed a completion percentage of 45% against him which was phenomenal.
Again, the Ramsey trade sets the tone for what could be a surprisingly quiet DB market this offseason and with a sparkling draft class upcoming, the prices may be driven down just enough for the Eagles to swoop in and not only retain Slay, but Bradberry as well.
The Eagles are sitting pretty
Sure, their CB depth chart is hardly the most encouraging thing in the world beyond Slay & Bradberry, but the team does have not one, but two first-round selections in the upcoming NFL Draft. With some big names slated to go inside the top 10 and a flurry of first-round candidates, the Eagles could absolutely pursue a name like Christian Gonzalez and choose one of either Slay/Bradberry to come back for another year or two.
If the Jalen Ramsey trade has done anything, it’s simply give the Eagles a chance to do what was previously deemed to be impossible … and that’s good enough for me.
More must-reads: