Social media speculation continued to soar on Saturday morning, as soon-to-be former Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey posted an Instagram shot of him playing basketball at an LA Fitness late Friday night. The location was Southern California and not South Florida.
The last few months have been full of Ramsey drama, as the veteran defensive back reportedly requested a trade. He is clearly not present or even in the same time zone as Dolphins players that are currently working in organized team activities in Miami Gardens. Even defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said at the start of OTA’s that Ramsey and the team “mutually have chosen to go other ways.”
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While things like current location and real estate holding aren’t the end-all be-all in predicting where a player could be traded to, the Rams scream solid sensibility for a few reasons.
First off, Ramsey was with them from 2019 through 2022. Ramsey was dealt to Miami in 2023 in what was a theft-worthy deal. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier sent a 2021 third-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long in exchange for Ramsey. Just two years later, could Ramsey reunite with the Rams?
With multiple teams rumored to be in the mix other than Los Angeles such as the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders, the Rams’ 2026 draft assets could match up well with Miami’s assortment of picks.
Something to note, Grier was active in trades during April’s NFL draft. And when moving out of the fourth round with the Houston Texans, a 2026 third-round pick was part of the compensation package. This gives Miami a pick in each and every round and has the Dolphins doubling up in both the third and fourth rounds in next year’s NFL draft.
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The Rams, on the other hand, own a pair of first-round picks, their second and third, and are vacated from the fourth round. LA also owns a pair of fifths and three sixth-round picks as well as a seventh. With LA having two picks in the top 32 selections, that second-round pick could be enticing if you are Miami, knowing they own multiple third and fourth-rounders.
Hypothetically, with Miami seemingly doing all they can to trim salary cap, it’s not as likely the Dolphins could require a player in return for Ramsey. A nice simple move could be for Miami to attach their extra third-round pick to Ramsey and simply upgrade to a second in exchange. This potential move could both improve Miami’s selections a tad, as well as save cap dollars. A Ramsey post-June 1 deal would give the Dolphins roughly $9.9 million in salary cap savings, yet carry a dead cap of just over $6.7 million.
Of course, social media is a place conjecture runs wild, but if history is any guide, Grier tends to make a move before a move. In this case, Grier collected a bit more 2026 capital from the 2025 NFL draft prior to a potential Ramsey deal. With all factors considered, a return to Los Angeles at least makes sense for both teams.
Additionally, the Dolphins also were in the news cycles on Friday, with rumors of Miami seeking a trade partner for tight end Jonnu Smith, who reportedly requested a reworked deal in hopes to remain in South Florida. In a perfect world, the Dolphins could be in a position to move Ramsey, upgrade their 2026 draft arsenal, while using some of the savings to move into a reworked Smith deal.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins’ Jalen Ramsey tips hand on potential NFL trade destination