The Miami Dolphins are at a crossroads with Jalen Ramsey. They have entertained moving him this offseason and they even have a suitor interested in landing him, but his contract isn’t an easy one to move, at least for the recipient of the trade.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, via Bleacher Report, Ramsey has $24 million in guarantees this year with an opt out of his contract after this year in 2026. Miami hasn’t been interested in taking on any of his guarantees, making a trade move a lot harder right now. I say right now because there could be a loophole to solve this before the season starts.
"The sticking point here is that $24 million in guarantees. My sense after asking around is Miami has not been overly eager to cover some of that bill, which sort of makes a trade hard to pull off right now," says Fowler. "L.A. Rams, it could be a reunion here. They've been in the mix here, they are a team to watch, certainly for Ramsey."
As of now, the Los Angeles Rams have been keen on bringing Ramsey back to California, where he helped them win a Super Bowl in 2021 in SoFi Stadium. Ramsey is obviously interested in going to a contender, so that makes his options limited.
For the Rams to pull the trigger, it would take less of a cap hit for them to make it happen. So what happens if the Rams wait it out?
Miami Dolphins-Los Angeles Rams have the perfect answer to resolving Jalen Ramsey trade
This would require both teams to stall trade talks until after June 1, when $10 million is cleared off Ramsey’s cap hit. He is under contract through 2028. This makes the most sense because that would make a trade more feasible, especially if Miami doesn’t want to take on any of his guarantees.
That honestly might be what both sides are waiting on. Ramsey isn’t necessarily a hot commodity as he is 30 years old and wants to play somewhere he could possibly win another championship. So the Rams won’t have to worry about getting undercut, though a team like the Washington Commanders could be desperate enough to make the move.
Ramsey returning to Los Angeles is ideal though a short term solution. The Rams have a young defense so adding a veteran that’s been there before and won a championship there could bring some much-needed experience.
That said, Ramsey could be a liability from a health standpoint as well as not being nearly as explosive as his last time around. Miami is right to wait out for the right time, but they could also be getting in their own way.
The best solution for Miami is to find a way to get a deal done, whether that’s now or post-June 1. The good thing is they have a team ready to make a deal happen, Miami should squander the opportunity while they have it.