The Las Vegas Raiders continue to emerge in trade rumors leading up to the draft, and one of the biggest names has been linked almost immediately.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Miami Dolphins are exploring trade options for seven-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
The #Dolphins and seven-time Pro Bowl CB Jalen Ramsey are mutually set to explore trade options and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he played elsewhere in 2025, per me and @TomPelissero.
Miami and Ramsey, due $25.1M fully guaranteed this season, could be parting ways. pic.twitter.com/rfbNDcNL6m
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 15, 2025
Ramsey lands on the rumor mill at a perfect time for the Raiders. With the release of Jack Jones adding to the talent exodus in the Raiders secondary, the team has serious questions in the back end of their defense. Should they go unanswered, the quarterbacks in the AFC West will be licking their chops at facing an iffy secondary twice.
The fit is certainly there for the Raiders, but the question is whether he is the type of player head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek are looking for right now.
How Ramsey fits
Outside of being the true number one cornerback the Raiders lack, Ramsey fits what Carroll has traditionally looked for in his cornerbacks.
At six-foot-one, weighing 209 pounds and with almost 33-and-a-half inch arms, Ramsey fits the size requirements Carroll has coveted. Carroll’s defensive units with the Seahawks also relied heavily on strong secondary play, most notably with the Legion of Boom with cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell working with safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Needless to say, Carroll’s plan to remake the Raiders defense starts with the secondary, and he could see Ramsey as an ideal fit to bring his vision to life.
Despite Ramsey’s $25.1 million cap hit, the Raiders also have the cap room to absorb that contract.
Red flags
While Ramsey is an exciting add to the Raiders, he is not necessarily perfect.
Ramsey will turn 31 in October, so questions will exist on whether or not he fits the Raiders’ current timeline. Spytek has also stressed team building as a major part of filling out his roster, so Ramsey being traded away from all three of his teams poses an issue in that regard. 2024 was also the first time in seven years Ramsey did not make the Pro Bowl, despite playing all seventeen games for the Dolphins.
Those are all aspects the Raiders will have to be comfortable with, as they do not want to take a risk and end up with a possibly declining asset.
What would it take to get him?
Ramsey’s age and contract likely means teams will not give up an early-round pick to the Dolphins, but a third-round pick is certainly in the realm of possibility. The Raiders have already traded one away for quarterback Geno Smith from Seattle, so they might have to get creative to make a package of equal value. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, however, came up with an interesting idea; in lieu of a third, the Raiders add their fourth-round pick (108th overall) and wide receiver Tre Tucker.
“General manager John Spytek has shopped in the bargain-bin aisle of free agency thus far, but he may be willing to make an aggressive move for a high-level player who fills a significant need, especially if it doesn’t cost him a premium draft pick,” Moton wrote.
“With the recent trade buzz around wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the Dolphins may be willing to acquire speedy wideout Tre Tucker and a fourth-round pick from the Raiders.”
While the Hill talk has died down, Tucker still represents a good fit for a Mike McDaniel offense that emphasizes speed and space. Meanwhile, the Raiders are looking for an upgrade at receiver as well, and trading for Ramsey means giving the team more flexibility to draft a replacement. Ramsey can lead a new-look secondary, while a Day Two selection can find a role on offense behind tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.
The trade rumors around Ramsey have just begun, but the Raiders are expected to have at least some level of interest.
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