Facing questions in the secondary surrounding the murky future of cornerback Jaire Alexander, the Green Bay Packers have a chance to implement a quick solution at the position.
Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier announced on Tuesday that the team and star cornerback Jalen Ramsey will be exploring a trade this offseason, but did not give a timeline on if that’ll occur before the draft, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) is at the center of trade speculation after general manager Chris Grier announced that both sides will explore trade options. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
This announcement comes just months after the Dolphins extended Ramsey last September, making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. With the depth chart thinning, they’re still up against the cap ceiling, making a trade logical if they’re looking to open up cap space now and for the future.
Naturally, the question arises if the Green Bay Packers should be interested in the three-time All-Pro cornerback, who turns 31 this October. It’s worth a conversation. The Packers are firmly in their contention window but lack elite talent that can put them over the top. Ramsey can still be an elite player at his age, and if he’s healthy he can help a team win a championship like he did with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
The Packers have their own star-level cornerback in Jaire Alexander, but the team is likely to move off of him this offseason. Should they trade or release Alexander, cornerback will be a position of need for them.
Ramsey has been more reliable than Alexander, missing only seven games in the past four seasons. It goes without saying that he also has the higher ceiling, as he’s arguably one of the few that could claim to be the league’s top corner. And if the team can trade off of Alexander’s contract, then taking on Ramsey’s will be far more doable and worth the cost in floor and ceiling.
Due to that contract and his age, Ramsey likely won’t require significant draft capital to acquire. In 2023, the Dolphins traded for Ramsey with a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long. Two seasons and another extension later, the cost will likely drop to a couple day three picks.
For those reasons, I don’t believe we should write off a Ramsey trade completely.
However, it’s unlikely that Green Bay will be the one to make the move. A trade would likely come with a reworked contract, making the commitment to him longer than just a one season all-in run. Perhaps the team can get away with higher guarantees in year two, keeping long-term flexibility, yet it’ll still be a risk at his age.
Moving any assets for Ramsey, only for him to get hurt or regress would put them in the exact same situation as they’ve been in with Jaire Alexander. It’s also not typically how the Packers operate. They’ve leaned on the draft to build their defense with only a few standout free agents, but no big-name trades are featured. It’s more likely the team will attempt to organically replace Alexander with a rookie, or even make amends to return him.
As any well-run front office should do, exploring the trade is the least they can do. Perhaps the price will be even cheaper than they expect, in which case a trade may be worth the risk. However, if the Packers do make a big-time trade, don’t expect it to be for Jalen Ramsey.