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With Jalen Ramsey trade talks quiet, could Jaire Alexander be the better move for the Rams?
Heading into the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Rams are still in need of a cornerback to add to the defense. There has been speculation that the Rams could pursue a trade for Jalen Ramsey. However, discussions have seemed to quiet down recently. Additionally, when asked about the Rams cornerback group, head coach Sean McVay said a few weeks ago, “I feel good about where we’re at.”
That could mean one of several things. It’s possible that McVay is publicly downplaying the need for a cornerback in order to help with negotiations. Conversely, trade talks for Ramsey could have also died and the Rams head coach is going to support the players on the roster. Lastly, he could actually feel good about who the Rams have at the cornerback position. Any of those scenarios are possible.
In the case that trade talks for Ramsey with the Dolphins have quieted down, the Rams will need to shift their focus. It won’t be long before the Dolphins are forced to show their hand as recent reports suggest that Jalen Ramsey will unsurprisingly not attend mandatory mini-camp. At the end of the day, the Dolphins don’t have leverage in negotiations.
One thing that the Rams front office tends to do very well is not force anything and keep their options open. It’s how they’ve approached the draft in recent years and it is likely how they have approached the Ramsey trade negotiations.
That approach has worked for the Rams in the past and that’s no different in their search for a top-level cornerback. On Monday morning, the Green Bay Packers released cornerback Jaire Alexander who will now become a free agent.
With Alexander now available, it might make more sense for the Rams to shift their focus to the 28-year-old cornerback than try to force a deal for Ramsey. Two major benefits of signing Alexander over trading for Ramsey would be that the Rams would have more control over contract structure and most importantly wouldn’t have to give up draft capital.
While the Rams wouldn’t have to give up a first round pick to acquire Ramsey, giving up a third-round pick and receiving a late-rounder in return seems like a realistic package. It’s worth remembering that the Rams already gave up a 2026 fourth round pick to move up for defensive lineman Ty Hamilton in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ramsey may not cost a lot in 2025 as the Rams would only be responsible for around $5.9 million. However, after 2025 is when Ramsey’s contract gets complicated. He does have an out after 2025 with an $18.5 million dead cap penalty. That’s notable as Ramsey’s cap hit is $25 million in 2026, $26.8 million in 2027, and $36.2 million in 2028 with three more void years.
It’s possible that the Rams and Ramsey could re-do that contract to make it fit the Rams’ timeline. Still, there’s no...
