On Tuesday, Rams star Jalen Ramsey confirmed that he won’t hold out this year if he doesn’t get the new deal that he’s seeking. Meanwhile, head coach Sean McVay tells reporters that he has every intention of keeping the standout cornerback for the long haul.
“We went and got this guy with the hope that it’s not a short-time thing,” McVay said (Twitter link via Andrew Siciliano of NFL.com). “I sure hope he’s not leaving.”
McVay went on to say that he sees Ramsey as the type of player who can reset the market as his position (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Jordan Rodrigue). Currently, Darius Slay is the leader in the CB clubhouse with an average annual value of $16.7MM. As McVay suggests, Ramsey’s AAV could easily exceed $17MM, even though he was less-than-stellar in his half-season with L.A.
Here’s more out of the NFC West:
- Speaking of Ramsey, new Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley intends to move him around this year by giving him some reps in the slot and possibly at safety (via Rodrigue). “He’s got command of all the positions in the defensive backfield,” Staley said. “You know, I do not look at him just as a corner. I look at him as a (defensive back). This guy can do anything. He thinks like a quarterback.”
- Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times would be surprised if the Seahawks didn’t add a veteran lineman or two before the start of the season. As it stands, the Seahawks are set to trot out a defensive end rotation of Rasheem Green/Benson Mayowa/rookie Darrell Taylor plus Poona Ford and Jarran Reed on the interior. The defensive end group, in particular, could use some reinforcements. With Quinton Jefferson in Buffalo and Jadeveon Clowney unlikely to be re-signed, GM John Schneider will probably be scanning the market for the next few months. On the plus side, the return of Bruce Irvin should help in the edge rushing department, but Pete Carroll has him listed as a linebacker.
- The 49ers might not have world-class depth in their secondary group, but Matt Barrows of The Athletic isn’t overly concerned with how the depth chart looks behind Richard Sherman, Jaquiski Tartt, Jimmie Ward, and the rest of the starters. However, if they do look to make an upgrade in that area, strong safety could be worth a look. As it stands, Marcell Harris is the only backup who has previous experience in SF’s scheme.
- The Cardinals are keeping an eye on former Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen. He’s provide experience to Arizona’s young DE group, not to mention an impressive track record of getting to the quarterback. The 32-year-old has 74.5 career sacks to his credit.
The Seahawks should forget Clowney and pursue as a cheaper alternative that could provide veteran stability on a talented yet unproven defensive line
they need a missing piece and it’s clowney
I meant to add Griffen to my post. Clowney is not worth it for double the annual value, especially when the former can be signed to a short-term deal
Teams generally have a short window of opportunity to make a run at a title and that’s when they need to ignore cost and just acquire the talent that can get them over the hump.
I question if Clowney is that guy though. He just hasn’t showcased any consistency. Griffen can be that win-now piece that puts them over the hump while simultaneously giving them cap flexibility for the future
Oh Poona Ford has to be the name of the day. Jaquiski Tartt is a strong runner up.
I prefer apple
In today’s NFL Ramsey at 17+mil I don’t think makes much sense. Yes the league has become more and more a throwing league and CBS defend the throw but 17mil is a lot.
The last time I remember a high paid CB being on a winning team was Stephon Gilmore on the Pats collecting 13mil. Now he deserves his money cause he is a leader defensive and does more than Ramsey who is extremely good and talented.
I think the modern day GM has to pay good money to have a good QB then outside of that you just to have above average at every position to on or as best you can to that with a few other leaders that you pay well.
Don’t pay old guys big money or injury history guys long deals and always remember you can replace anybody on your roster in the draft so no body should be bigger than the team
Ramsey is 25 and has been very healthy over his career. You can’t draft a CB of his skill without a top 5 pick and even then its not guaranteed. There is a reason he was an extremely hot commodity.
I agree with the health and skill. But 17mil for a CB for me is to much.
I’d rather pay for 2 CBs at about 10mil ish each then pay Ramsey 17+mil and then have to be really cheap with your other corners.
Most NFL teams play with 2 really good WRers if not 3 or 4 and if your paying 1 CB 17+mil, he can only guard 1 man. That doesn’t leave you much protection or money to cover anywhere else.
For me my preference would be Jarious Jenkins and Chris Harris Jr which would cost a total of 16mil or Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr which would cost 20mil.
That’s spot-on analysis. I’d rather have the Chargers’ secondary with a talented trio of Harris, Hayward, and King, than just Ramsey for effectively the same price
No way. Jenkins and Harris are both over 30 and the shelf life for DBs doesn’t go much farther than that. Ramsey is better and younger. There is not more value in signing two 30 year olds for the same price. Jenkins was cut and Harris didn’t even net a pick high enough for Elway to trade for.
That’s not the point. The point was that you could have an elite secondary with three good or great players or you could have one elite player with a bad secondary.
Not to mention that in Ramsey’s individual case, he did not play like the most expensive corner in the league last year and was a locker room issue as well. Harris, Hayward, and King have never been issues off the field and each has been regarded as the best in their position at one time or another. So while you are correct that Ramsey individually offers more size and arguably skill than one of that set the posters mentioned, the trade off is negligible player-to-player and noticeable secondary-to-secondary-all for almost the same price.
The Chargers hit big on drafting King so late. Of course they have a great secondary but its not so easy. Harris and Hayward are declining while Ramsey will be trending up as he enters his prime. Once again there is a reason the both of them did not have many suitors.
Ehh, I hit the wrong reply button earlier apparently and now I can’t delete the comment to move it here. But this is it just so that ends up in the right place:
Trust me, I know. But in two years those contracts will be off the books while Ramsey will be too expensive to trade or cut. So if he is not playing as well as two high level veterans and one elite 30+ year old, that contract is holding the Rams hostage instead of giving value.
Trust me, I know. But in two years those contracts will be off the books while Ramsey will be too expensive to trade or cut. So if he is not playing as well as two high level veterans and one elite 30+ year old, that contract is holding the Rams hostage instead of giving value.