We've reached perhaps the least interesting point in the NFL calendar. OTAs have begun, but preseason games are still a ways away, and events like the NFL Draft and NFL free agency are long gone. With that being said, there are still some NFL rumors worth keeping tabs on for NFL fans. Here is the latest on that front.
Jaguars HC pours cold water on Travis Etienne trade rumors
Travis Etienne's name has been in NFL trade rumors essentially since the middle of last season when he lost his starting job in the Jacksonville Jaguars' backfield. He did eventually earn more touches down the stretch, but the Jaguars selecting Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen in the NFL Draft while already rostering Tank Bigsby suggests that Etienne's spot on this roster could be far from secure. Well, new head coach Liam Coen threw cold water on that theory emphatically.
“He’s done a great job,” Coen said. “I don’t really understand some of the stuff I’ve kind of seen out there. That’s absolutely inaccurate.”
It sure sounds like Coen is fixated on sticking with Etienne, and frankly, it's hard to blame him. Last season was a rough one for Etienne, but it was a rough one for virtually everyone on the Jaguars' roster. The season prior, though, saw Etienne rush for over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. The year before that saw him rush for over 1,100 yards.
When healthy, the talent is there for Etienne. Perhaps with a brilliant offensive mind like Coen running the show, he can return to his elite form, providing a major spark for Jacksonville. He's only 26 years old, after all.
A Jonnu Smith trade might not be as likely as once thought
Just days ago, it was reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers were in discussions with the Miami Dolphins on a trade that would send Jonnu Smith to the Steel City. Whether a deal with Pittsburgh materialized or not, it felt as if Smith's time in Miami was running out. Based on what Smith's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, had to say on the matter, though, that might not be the case.
“Jonnu would definitely like to stay in Miami... That’s his first choice,” Rosenhaus said, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “This is where he lives in the off-season. He had a record-breaking season last year. It was the best season ever for a Miami Dolphin tight end. . . . Hopefully, everything works out where he can stay in Miami.”
Smith wanting to stay in Miami is exactly what Dolphins fans should want to hear. Last season was a rough one for the Dolphins, but it was Smith's best, as he shattered career highs with 88 receptions and 884 receiving yards, and tied a career best with eight touchdowns. No matter who was under center for the Dolphins, Smith was producing. It was his best season, and arguably the best a Dolphins tight end has ever had, as Rosenhaus pointed out.
There are a lot of issues with Miami's roster, but tight end isn't one of them, and that's thanks to Smith. Hopefully, everything works out in the end, and his future is in Miami.
A position change might be next up for Jalen Ramsey
Another Miami Dolphins player who has been squarely on the trade block this offseason is Jalen Ramsey, and it isn't hard to see why. Ramsey wants to win, and the Dolphins aren't quite in the Super Bowl conversation right now. Conversely, the Dolphins don't believe Ramsey is worth what he's getting paid at the cornerback position.
With Ramsey no longer the superstar shutdown corner he once was, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated revealed that his brightest future might be at a different position.
"The more people I talk to, the more I think Jalen Ramsey’s value now really is as a safety. That, by the way, doesn’t mean he can’t play corner anymore. He can. It’s just that, at this point, if you’re bringing him in, leaning into what he still does well and planning on having him as more than a stopgap rental, then safety is likely where his future lies."
Ramsey could follow several other great corners like Charles Woodson and Rod Woodson and make the switch to safety. There are a couple of questions worth asking, though. First, would he be receptive to a change? Second, can teams justify paying Ramsey what he's owed to be a safety?
Jalen Ramsey's contract is still causing problems
Answering those questions is easier said than done. A position change could be what's best for Ramsey, but that doesn't mean he agrees. As for the contract, well, that could be an issue.
“I think that’s a safe landing spot to put him in position to still do things that he does well,” said an NFC exec. “So that’s like a $10 million to $12 million player.”
Ramsey at a $21.1 million cap hit simply can't be rostered as a safety. With that in mind, the Dolphins are going to either have to eat some money to convince another team to take him on, or figure something else out.
A Ramsey trade is still possible, but with a possible position change looming and his contract incredibly large, it's far from a certainty.