Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly Talks Dolphins’ Ramsey Trade, Tua & Tyreek w/ Rich Eisen | Full Interview

And joining us right now for the Dolphins side of things that keeps getting more and more interesting is the columnist from the Miami Herald, Omar Kelly. Good to see you, Omar. How are you, sir?
I’m good, Rich. How are you doing?
I’m good. Uh, well, let’s start with the most fresh piece of everything. My colleague Tom Pelisero reporting uh before we went on the air that the Dolphins are going to fill the void left by trading Jonnu Smith with Jaylen Ramsey to the Steelers uh by trading for Darren Waller uh and bringing him out of retirement and he’s going to be the tight end in Miami. Your first blush thoughts on that, Omar?
Uh it it doesn’t surprise me from this standpoint. Um Steve Ross is an owner who likes to swing for the fences. Um, I just didn’t know. I thought it was a possibility, especially with the connection to Drew Rosenhouse and Waller. Um, I just didn’t know if Waller was ready to get back to playing football again. And it looks like he is.
Yeah, I I I guess so. You know, and I I guess that’s the Giants game out of nowhere is that he wants to come out of retirement and they could at least get something for him. Um, and so he just plugs in where John Smith is and we were all wondering where they’re going to find a tight end at the top of July with training camp, but there he is. Right. Absolutely. Um Darren Waller’s established himself as an elite player in this league. Um you every most people would know about his substance abuse issue and how he’s basically rebuilt his life and you know he’s got a great story. Uh yes last year he stepped away from football cuz obviously he didn’t find the love for it. Went to be a rapper and now I guess he’s back. The rap career didn’t take off.
He he went back into his lane I guess right Omar. you know, uh uh
hey, who knows? Who knows? You know, Shaq Shaq would platinum, you know, you never you never can underestimate these guys?
I know. And we who talks about Kazam right now these days, right, Omar? Nobody talks about it unless we bring it up to Shaq. But any rate, um so that’s the news there. Let’s, you know, obviously revisit the Jaylen Ramsay portion of this. Can you explain why somebody of Jaylen Ramsay’s caliber um got traded away by a Dolphins team that could clearly use him?
Well, Jaylen Ramsay, if to best describe him, he’s a mercenary. Um he’s a gun for hire. Uh the Dolphins traded for him two years ago to make a title run, but they just aren’t in that position right now. They they are a team that’s clearly rebuilding and getting younger. Um, and unfortunately Jaylen and Mike McDaniel or or Jaylen and the culture of the locker room wasn’t a good fit. And the Dolphins feel like they have to change the culture of the team and of the locker room. And and that meant that Jaylen Ramsay had to go. Now, fortunately for them, they found somebody who was willing to not only trade for him, uh, but take on his massive contract. Most people don’t realize this, but the Dolphins are going to eat $18.5 million in cap space because of the the the the contracts that and because of the trade and because of the contracts with Jaylen Jaylen Jaylen Ramsay. So, it’s not like the Dolphins are taking this victory lap uh for moving Ramsay, but they’re certainly happy that he’s somewhere he wants to be and that they also got good value for him in in Minka Fitzpatrick. But, you know, another component of that was the John Smith. They traded two Pro Bowlers for one Pro Bowler in a fifth round pick and now we see what that second move is.
Well, yeah, I know. The second move being Darren Waller. So, I guess Dolphins fans might ask the question, Omar, is h how how does this make the Dolphins better? How does this make him better?
It it it makes them better from the standpoint Waller’s probably a more accomplished player than John Smith, who did have a career year with the Miami Dolphins, set franchise records in every category. Um but he was also 30. Um the Janu situation with Janu was the Dolphins were happy with him. He was just under contract for $4 million and the Pittsburgh Steelers gave him 12. So he tripled his salary in one season by getting traded to Miami. So it it’s it’s it’s going to be interesting to see what they give up for Darren Waller and and whether or not this is this is something that makes the offense better because Tua did have a tremendous amount of chemistry with with Ju Smith.
Okay. So, let’s uh let’s talk to us since we just landed on him. There is obviously this is all contingent on him, right? I mean, every move we just discussed, even on defense, we we could talk about how Mink is going to bring a different uh maybe locker room vibe than Jaylen Ramsay, and that might be an addition by subtraction right there just for Mike McDaniel and and team chemistry and what have you. But um you know I I I can speak from um personal um you know uh viewing as we all could. If Zach Wilson’s in there, it’s a different story, Omar. You know what I mean? So what what is I know Tua was talking about playing with a better sense of uh self-preservation. What does that look like? Do you think, Omar?
We we saw it at times in the 2023 season. He saw the pressure coming and he just immediately went to the ground. Um, you know, this is a situation where Tua has to learn how to throw the ball away. Even in practice, that’s just not something that he operates doing. He buys time, he waits, he waits, he waits, and then he throws it. At some point, you got to get you got to start learn how to throw that ball away. Um, I think it’s probably and and stay in the pocket. Um, two is well aware that this Dolphins team only goes as far as he can take them. Um, and and that requires him to stay healthy. Unfortunately, he’s only done that for one of his five NFL seasons.
Yeah. And so, you know, Tyreek Hill is still there, even though it appeared at the end of last season when the season was over. Um, you know, he said something publicly that made it sound like he was going to demand a trade. Chris Greer had a talk about it publicly. It it seems to be back in the bottle right now, but uh is that something that could bubble to the surface once uh once regular season rubber hits the road?
Absolutely. I think if they’re losing uh you’re going to see a disgruntled Tyreek Hill. Uh the people don’t understand in that situation at the end of that Jets game, Tyreek was frustrated by his situation. This is the first time in his nine-year career that he never made it to the postseason. That just was not satisfactory. And then, as I said in for 2 minutes and 20 seconds, he said all the right things that captain should. He talked about, you know, you know, thing things that happened during the season and and and said all the right things and then like that a flip, a switch flip and Tyreek became Tyreek and basically said, “You know what? If if th this is this is not a situation I want to be part of.” Now, that was speaking from emotion. As time progressed, Tariq realized how well the Dolphins organization has treated him and his family throughout the years. uh he realized he just got a new contract and uh basically you know and and basically came said you know what I I I’m really changing my tune in terms of wanting out I’m going to give this one more try but to me I personally believe if they’re not winning you might see Tyreek Hill on the trading block by the trade deadline man that would be something else I mean but you take a look at this team though and in in in Mike McDaniel’s image of wanting to be fast and quick and get a guy who like Tua can get the ball out quickly and accurately. I you know you look at uh Hill Wadd Westbrook and Keen I thought was a terrific pickup from Tennessee right there. Achan, Jaylen Wright. I mean, this is a quick
team and and and the question is is when it all comes down to it, cold weather, what happens? I mean, it’s the age-old question about the Miami Dolphins, right? But
speed is finesse, but it’s not necessarily what they need. They need physicality. They need toughness. And that’s part of what changing the culture of the team has really been about. When adversity hits, they generally buckle to it. And you have to be tough mentally, you have to be tough physically, and you have to play for one another and and care about one another. Um, you know, last uh this during OTAAS, Bradley, you know, I’ve always heard the same thing about changing the culture around here, but Bradley Chub was the first one to admit, hey, when we said it last year, we were probably lying. We we we we didn’t we didn’t work that hard to be a team that’s a collection of we were just a bunch of individuals. And and that comes to Jaylen Ramsay, a mercenary. Everybody was out for themselves. Everybody focused on themselves. Now they have to focus on building a better team, a better unity. A and and and leaders have to step up and that includes Tua.
All right. Then you just mentioned Bradley Chub in our couple minutes left with Omar Kelly and Miami Herald. You mentioned Chub. Um obviously certainly with Jaylen Ramsey gone, I’m looking at the uh the defensive depth chart right now and the two starting corners for the Dolphins are listed as secondyear players, Storm Duck and Jason Marshall Jr. who they snagged in the fifth round in Green Bays in the first round of the draft. That’s who they have list listed. But the point is is like you got to get home at the quarterback to help that unit out for sure. What is the scoop with Chub and Jaylen Phillips?
Um they’re both going to be ready for the season opener. Both worked in the offseason program. Um you got to add Chop Robinson to that equation as well. When you pair all three pass rushers with Zack Cer, you basically have four players who have the potential to be double- digit sack guys. So, they will certainly use the pressure that they can create to to sort of help out the secondary.
Well, and I can personally attest as well. I’m a Michigan guy. That Kenneth Grant kid is one of the best Michigan’s had in the middle of a defensive line. And I know Christian Wilkins is gone. Um, and some fans missed him. This guy is the real deal. Kenneth Grant. Okay.
Yeah. So, keep an eye out for him. That’s
Now, was he eating off Mason Graham’s plate?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. The two of them together. Uh, just watch the Ohio State tape, Omar, because it’s some of my favorite tape of all time. Literally, like, I’ll just pop it in every now and then. Um, he he’s great. You’re going to love him. You’re going to love him. So, that’s the idea.
Yeah. So, thanks for the time, Omar. Really appreciate your two cents on the subject matter. Thank you, sir.
All right. Always a pleasure. You That’s Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald here on the Rich Eisen Show. Catch the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from 12 to 3:00 p.m.

Miami Herald columnist Omar Kelly tells Rich Eisen why the Dolphins traded CB Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers, reacts to TE Darren Waller coming out of retirement for a trade to Miami, says what Tua Tagovailoa must do to take his game to the next level, and discusses how committed WR Tyreek Hill is to remaining in Miami heading into the new season.

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27 comments

  3. Clearly Waller needs the money and he made some calls. Apparently he's friends with Frank Smith on the Dolphins, so there's the connection. Frank Smith is the OC and many of us fin fans are still trying to figure out what he does.

  4. We don't have any CB's! If we had at least 2 reliable starting CB's then I would feel pretty good about our chances. But with what we have now , we're doomed at CB

  13. It's really refreshing to see somebody on the rich show that actually believes what they say Rich you're one of my favorite Talking Heads but some of the stuff you say man I don't even think you believe it

  14. This is the Dolphins movin on from Tua year,that's why you just get guys off the sofa. 🛋 🤣I'm guessing there next call is to Andrew Whitworth,hey maybe they even call TB12.

  16. jalen ramsey is wack, who signs a big extension then decides they need a trade months later….?
    his first game as a phin he had 2 picks. that was his best game as a phin. big fumble but ill take minkah off a down year. still mad he got ousted and they didnt want to use him in his strongest position when he was here.

  27. We should start making fun of Stephen Ross and his terrible decision making for keeping Grier for having 0 playoff wins and paying players the season before playing them to add dead cap. Oligarchs hate being embarrassed publicly so that’s the only way to make them change.

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