ESPN Exercise Delivers Harsh Ramsey Reality

The Jalen Ramsey watch continues, and the reality is he could remain a member of the Miami Dolphins for several more weeks. Or he could be traded any day.

What should be more clear is that the Dolphins shouldn't expect a great return in any trade.

If that already wasn't obvious, it was reflected again in a very cool ESPN exercise where four national writers made hypothetical offers for Ramsey, and the Dolphins reporter, Marcel Louis-Jacques, chose the best one.

And let's just say none of the offers were overwhelming.

The four offers were as such:

-- The Los Angeles Rams give the Dolphins a 2026 fifth-round pick, a 2026 sixth-round pick and cash considerations for Ramsey.

-- The Rams give the Dolphins a 2026 seventh-round pick for Ramsey.

-- The Carolina Panthers give the Dolphins a 2026 fourth-round pick for Ramsey.

-- The Los Angeles Chargers give the Dolphins a 2027 seventh-round pick for Ramsey and a 2027 sixth-round pick.

What's clear is that the financial commitment, specifically Ramsey's guaranteed $21 million for 2025, is driving down the return the Dolphins can demand.

In the Chargers example, the Dolphins are literally giving them a better draft pick to assume his contract.

This truly is the definition of addition by subtraction.

Not surprisingly, Louis-Jacques chose the Panthers offer, with him explaining a "fourth-round pick is about as good a return as Miami could ask for."

A DIMINISHING ASSET

It's less than what the Dolphins gave up to get him two years ago — a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long — but Ramsey is two years older, and an acquiring team is on the hook for at least a one-year, $21 million guaranteed deal for 2025.

It's a very small return for a player who's the most talented defensive player on the roster and whose versatility is a key for Anthony Weaver's defense, but this is where things stand.

To be sure, these hypotheticals come from national writers and not NFL executives or former executives, but they at least would seem to be in the ballpark for what the Dolphins can expect in terms of offers for the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback.

The Dolphins aren't moving on from Ramsey because of what they can get for him, but rather because they've decided they're better off without him.

By all accounts, Ramsey hasn't been around during the offseason program, which to this point has been voluntary. The three-day minicamp next week will be mandatory, but it wouldn't or should surprise anyone if Ramsey wasn't there for that, either.

Head coach Mike McDaniel punted on the question of whether he wanted a resolution before that minicamp, which starts next Tuesday, but it's not unfair to suggest judging by his tone that he won't be unhappy when the chapter has been closed.

The Dolphins also could wait a while and hang on to Ramsey to see if better offers emerge before training camps around the NFL get going in July and the end of June. Plus, the start of July is a dead period pretty much anyway.

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