The Miami Dolphins matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Monday night will mark a homecoming of sorts for Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
It will be the first time Ramsey will face the Rams since they traded him to the Dolphins since March 2023 in exchange for tight end Hunter Long and a 2023 third-round pick.
The impetus for the trade from the Rams standpoint, as it most often is when star players get moved, involved financial considerations, namely Ramsey's desire for a new contract and the Rams' reluctance to give it to him.
Even though he missed the first eight games of the 2023 season because of a training camp knee injury, Ramsey pretty much has been as good as advertised in Miami. Last season it was mostly because of his coverage; this season it's been also about his work in run support and blitzing from the slot.
In terms of trade compensation, this deal has proven to be an absolute slam dunk for the Dolphins because Long still is looking to make an impact four years into his NFL career. As far as the financial aspect of the deal, well, there it's fair to question whether the Dolphins were overly generous.
The Dolphins gave Ramsey the new contract he wanted three days after acquiring him, but then doubled up and then gave him another new contract right before the start of the 2024 regular season.
Then again, this was part of the "everybody gets a new contract" summer for the Dolphins.
So far, though, it's difficult to complain about Ramsey's performance.
WHAT THE RAMS ARE SAYING
Ahead of the Ramsey-Rams reunion, L.A. head coach Sean McVay reflected on what led to the trade with the Dolphins.
"I love Jalen," McVay said. "We have a cool relationship and he knows the respect and the admiration that I have for him as a player and what he meant to this team. There were a lot of tough decisions that were on the horizon for us as a football team and it didn't have anything to do with us not wanting him here. There were a lot of things that we had to do as a result of some previous years and things of that nature. He understood that. It was important for us based on what he had done for us to try to be
able to find a situation that suited both parties.
"Miami was somebody that was interested. Les and [Dolphins General Manager] Chris Grier were able to work out a deal. He was excited about that. [Ramsey's Agent] David Mulugheta has always been a guy that, whether it's with Jalen or some other clients, I've always appreciated what a pro he is, how straightforward [and] direct. He's a guy who can get stuff done and he can be very helpful in facilitating that. It was smooth. I think Jalen was excited about that while also appreciative of a lot of great memories that we were able to have together."
Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, with whom Ramsey and Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. won the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, also has nothing but respect for the cornerback.
“I have so much respect for who he is as a player and a teammate," Stafford said. "He affects the game in so many different ways, even if a lot of times guys are staying away from him. It's basically a one for one that he's taking away out there. He’s doing a heck of a job like he always does. He's mixing it in there in the run game, finishing plays, blitzing, sacking the quarterback and getting a tipped interception last week.
"He's doing all the things you want from Jalen Ramsey and I got a ton of respect for him. I had an amazing time playing with him as a teammate and that'll be a big challenge for us come Monday night.”
