Dolphins feeling positive effects from trading Jalen Ramsey

According to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier made it known that “Ramsey did not ask for a salary adjustment or a trade.” He did make it clear, though, that he thought it was in the best interest of both parties to part ways. In that sense, Ramsey got his wish today, and per Louis-Jacques, so, too, did the Dolphins.

Louis-Jacques reports that, following a disappointing 8-9 campaign in 2024, the relationship between Ramsey and the team “soured.” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald echoed this sentiment today, saying that “Ramsey was unhappy in Miami for reasons that he never fully explained,” though Ramsey implied that, in his view, the Dolphins harbored a “willingness to accept mediocrity.”

Regardless, the team was looking for a culture change in the building, and when searching for names that could add to the team through their subtraction, Ramsey’s came up. So, in the end, both parties got what they wanted today.

Miami likely also feels accomplished in what they returned by offloading Ramsey. After throwing in tight end Jonnu Smith as a sweetener, the Dolphins were able to exchange two of their older contributors for a younger one that filled a major position of need. Jackson pointed out how, in the aftermath of the news breaking, several teams were surprised to see Miami get the value it did out of difficult situation. Now, doing so certainly made them extremely thin at the cornerback and tight ends positions, and the team has already begun to address that, but it also provided them some flexibility that they can now use to help fix those problem spots.

The Dolphins made an offer to veteran free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas back in May, per Jackson, but Douglas rejected the offer. Similarly, they inquired about Asante Samuel Jr. after his rookie contract with the Chargers expired. Jackson adds that the team told another free agent cornerback that they were hoping to gain “clarity on (Ramsey’s situation) before moving forward with anyone expecting a sizable contract.” They kept in contact with Douglas, and Samuel remains unsigned as he recovers from neck surgery. Other veteran cornerbacks, like James Bradberry, Stephon Gilmore, Mike Hilton, and C.J. Henderson, remain on the market, as well.

And, now, with the clarity and cap relief from this trade, the Dolphins have a bit of breathing room they can utilize to fill these holes. Instead of shouldering Ramsey’s $16.7M cap hit, they only have to stomach $6.7M of dead money. Even after Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s cap impact is factored in, the team is left with over $15M in cap space. Even better, any of that unused cap can be rolled over into next year, when the Dolphins have to contend with $18M in dead money from Ramsey’s contract, though that figure also improved from $25M as a result of the trade.

So, with no negative implications, we can see where the Dolphins could be happier having parted ways with Ramsey. They gave Ramsey the change of scenery he desired, initiated a change in culture in their building, and did so in a way that allows them to try and build a better team.