The Phinsider
Anthony Weaver seems to already consider Jalen Ramsey a former player.
The Miami Dolphins are heading into the final phase of the 2025 offseason training program, with organized team activities and the mandatory minicamp starting to show up on the calendar. As the on-field preparation continues to progress, another key date is quickly approaching for off-field moves.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey is guaranteed $24.2 million this season, with $4 million already paid as a roster bonus. He is scheduled to account for $16.7 million against the salary cap this season. But, when it comes to off-field considerations, Ramsey also wants to be traded. And that is where the calendar comes back into play.
The NFL has a June 1 consideration every year. If a player is released or traded on June 1 or before, any salary cap deferred money is accelerated into the current year’s cap. For Ramsey, that would include an additional $32.8 million acceleration into the 2025 cap for Miami. Any move after June 1, the accelerated money is moved into the next year’s cap, which frees money for use this year. For Ramsey, if he is traded on June 2 or later, the Dolphins would see about a $10 million cap savings for this year as his number drops to $6.7 million. The team will have to account for the remaining guaranteed money in 2026, but for cap management purposes, any trade of Ramsey was always going to have to occur on or after June 2.
As that date gets closer, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was asked this week about the team’s plans for replacing Ramsey, his reaction to the sides heading toward a divorce, and what impact it has on his defensive scheme.
“I’ve got to be honest; I’ve been in this league too long that anything I hear at this point, I have very little reaction to it – other than COVID; that one I had a little bit of a reaction to,” Weaver said when asked about his reaction when the news broke of Ramsey wanting to leave and the Dolphins being willing to make the move. “But this game, things change by the day. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ramsey, he played very good ball for us, but shoot, relationships are hard. Both mutually have chosen to go other ways, and I respect that and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Sounding like he already considers Ramsey as a former player for him, Weaver commented on how the Dolphins can replace Ramsey’s production and who might be on the field come Week 1. “I think first and foremost, those guys, they’ve been here from Day 1 (of the offseason training program) and you can see the confidence that grows in them by day. Artie (Burns) has been a tremendous leader, obviously Kader (Kohou). There’s leaders in the backend with Iffy Melifonwu and Ashtyn Davis, Elijah Campbell, but all those corners – one, they all have a chip...
