NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero have reported that star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the Miami Dolphins are "mutually set to explore trade options." They also noted that "it wouldn’t be a surprise" to see him play elsewhere in 2025. Naturally, we've begun conjuring up a list of potential next destinations, though one landing spot that wasn't mentioned sticks out: the Dallas Cowboys.
On paper, the Cowboys don't have a glaring need at corner. After all, they boast two of the NFL's past four regular-season interception leaders, DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs. But after taking a closer look at their secondary situation, adding Ramsey and effectively kicking out the latter makes some sense.
While he's supremely talented, Ramsey's age, health (or lack thereof) and bloated long-term contract will make it hard for the Dolphins to extract significant value in a trade. Knowing this, the Cowboys have a prime opportunity to move on from Diggs and bring in a more-than-capable successor.
Cowboys can show Trevon Diggs the door with buy-low Jalen Ramsey trade
Like Ramsey, Diggs has battled injury in recent years, specifically to his left ACL. He hasn't recovered fully since tearing it during the 2023 campaign; instead, the 26-year-old suffered what the Cowboys have deemed an unrelated malady to the same knee. But regardless of how or why, the issue shut him down for the final six games of 2024 and required offseason surgery.
Moreover, Diggs' readiness for the start of the upcoming season is far from guaranteed. To make matters worse, the Cowboys weren't thrilled with how he rehabbed before the apparent setback, jeopardizing his long-term status with the franchise. And with the potential to get out from under the veteran defensive back's deal this offseason, Dallas can strike while the iron is hot.
Releasing Diggs won't come cheap, but it's arguably the more financially sound decision, considering it could save the Cowboys money in the long run. Designating him a post-June 1 cut would stop the financial bleeding, leaving behind an unideal yet palatable dead cap hit. While turning around and absorbing Ramsey's pact may be contradictory, it seamlessly upgrades the back end of Dallas' stop unit.