Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey is the biggest name on the NFL trade block and the LA Chargers have been named as one of his preferred destinations. With Ramsey being such a prolific name, many Chargers fans are already daydreaming about what he would look like next to Derwin James.
There are inherent risks in trading for Ramsey that will give the Chargers some pause. And based on the latest rumors surrounding another big-name cornerback, it may be safe to assume the Bolts won't be in the Ramsey market whatsoever.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens that the Chargers absolutely could have afforded. At the time, there were no indications if the Chargers were in the Alexander market and if the corner simply chose Baltimore over LA.
Well, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently supplied some clarity around the situation. According to Fowler, the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins were the only other teams Alexander was considering. The Chargers were not mentioned at all.
Chargers' lack of Jaire Alexander interest kills a Jalen Ramsey trade before it starts
Of course, every situation is different and Ramsey has had a better career than Alexander. Alexander is coming off two injury-prone seasons and did not have the same ceiling Ramsey had when he was the best cornerback in the sport.
That being said, acquiring Ramsey would come at a much steeper cost than acquiring Alexander. All the Chargers needed to do was commit a one-year flier contract to Alexander to bring him in. There are many more moving parts with Ramsey.
First, the Chargers would have to trade draft capital. That alone could turn the Chargers away, although Ramsey's low price on the trade market could keep the Bolts around. Trading a sixth or seventh-round pick for Ramsey is not a deal breaker.
The entire reason why Ramsey's trade value is so low is because of the contract the Dolphins are trying to move off of. Ramsey wouldn't just cost more than Alexander in 2025, he would be on the books for two more expensive seasons.
Ramsey has a $16.6 million cap hit in 2025, a $25 million cap hit in 2026, a $26.8 million cap hit in 2027 and a $36.1 million cap hit in 2028 (when he is going to be 34 years old). Just because the Chargers can afford to swallow that cap hit does not mean the team should take it on.
Sure, there are outs in the contract where the Chargers could cut bait for a one-year dead cap hit to save the team in the long run. But is it really worth trading for someone who you plan on cutting in 1-2 years, especially considering that it will still have a big impact on future salary-cap situations?
Cornerbacks regress in their 30s. Ramsey is entering his age-31 season. That is not to say he can't be a good cornerback in 2025, but he is already showing signs of slowing down. Swallowing this massive cap hit is a prime example of paying big bucks for past performance.
Desperate teams are willing to take this kind of swing. If the Chargers aren't taking a swing at another big-name corner at a much cheaper price, it's unlikely they will take such a heavy swing at Ramsey.
It may break some fans' hearts, but it's for the best.