Jalen Ramsey’s extension with the Rams is massive
The Los Angeles Rams are paying Jalen Ramsey, and doing so in a fashion which makes him the highest-paid cornerback ever.
Jalen Ramsey is a very, very rich man.
On Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Rams and their star cornerback agreed to a five-year, $105 million extension. The deal ties Ramsey to the Rams through the 2025 season, and is the richest in league history for a cornerback. The position’s market had long been stagnant, with Byron Jones resetting it this offseason by signing a five-year, $82.5 million pact in March.
Jalen Ramsey and the LA Rams have agreed to terms on a massive extension that totally resets the cornerback market. The 5 year $105M extension averages $21M per year and is the largest contract signed by a cornerback.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2020
Asked about the deal, agent @DavidMulugheta confirmed it.
The move helps justify the two first and one fourth-round picks general manager Les Snead sent to the Jacksonville Jaguars for Ramsey at the deadline. Of course, Snead was always going to pay Ramsey a handsome sum after said trade, knowing Ramsey had all the leverage going forward.
Ramsey, 25, has earned one First-Team All-Pro honor and been to the Pro Bowl thrice. His best year came in 2017, when he made All-Pro and helped the Jaguars reach the AFC Championship Game for the third time in franchise history.
For Los Angeles, it has some large contracts to manage going forward. Jared Goff is tied to a four-year, $134 million deal. Aaron Donald is also getting the proverbial bag, earning $135 million over six years.
While we don’t know the exact breakdown of Ramsey’s deal, here’s something to consider. The salary cap may drop to $175 million next year, and if Ramsey’s cap hit is $21 million (the contract’s average), Los Angeles has approximately $83.5 million worth of cap hits in Ramsey, Goff and Donald for 2021, without the benefit of a first-round pick to add cheap talent.
In short, the Rams made a massive, massive bet on Ramsey in terms of draft picks and capital. Their faith must be rewarded.