NFL Rumors: Chargers make perfect sense for Jalen Ramsey, but is it possible?

A Jalen Ramsey trade is one of the biggest potential moves that is making its rounds through the NFL rumors mill. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the LA Rams spoke to Ramsey about his situation and that a trade is very likely this offseason. This has prompted a swarm of theorized trade packages, several of which with the LA Chargers.

On paper, the Chargers would be the absolute perfect destination for Ramsey himself. He would stay in Los Angeles, would stay on a good football team and would reunite with Brandon Staley. Not only that, but he would finally get a chance to play with friend and fellow FSU defensive back, Derwin James.

It seems to make perfect sense on paper and the Chargers have the trade assets to make it happen. The team owns all of its picks in 2023 and in the future. Staley has also shown his influence in trading for former players, as the Bolts made the blockbuster trade for Khalil Mack last offseason.

All that being said, Ramsey to the Chargers is nothing more than a pipe dream that is only possible in the Madden franchise.

NFL Rumors: A Jalen Ramsey trade is impossible for the LA Chargers.

Well, we shouldn't say impossible because anything is possible in the NFL, but if we had to give a percentage chance of this happening there would be more zeros behind the decimal point than there were injuries that the Chargers suffered last season.

Trading for Ramsey is a great idea on paper that all falls apart the moment you consider the financial implications of the trade. Ramsey has a $25.2 million cap hit this season and is under contract for two more years. If he became available last offseason then the Bolts could have traded for him. Not now.

According to Over The Cap, the Chargers are $20.3 million over the 2023 salary cap. Not only does the team need to free up that money, but it needs to free up even more money to pay its own draft class in 2023.

Although the team can free up as much as $36 million without drastic changes, the odds of them being able to free up the money to trade for Ramsey would be slim to none. They have their own financial issues to worry about before worrying about adding another large contract in Ramsey.

Some overly-optimistic fans may argue that the Bolts should try to flip J.C. Jackson back to the Rams for Ramsey. Sure, they can try that all they want, but the Rams are going to laugh on the phone, hang it up, and block Tom Telesco's number. A cornerback swap like that is impossible with Jackson's issues.

MUST-READ: Ranking Justin Herbert and the top 32 QBs in the NFL

The NFL salary cap is designed to make trades really hard, hence why we see so little of them. And when there are massive trades like this, they don't happen with teams that are $20 million over the salary cap. Sorry to any Chargers fans who may have pre-ordered a custom Ramsey Chargers jersey.