On the second day of Miami Dolphins organized team activities (OTAs), head coach Mike McDaniel was asked about the crumbling relationship with Jalen Ramsey. They were questions he wasn’t too interested in answering.
“I’m really worried about the team, the players that will be out on the field today and that’s about as much breath as I want to speak into it,” McDaniel said. “It is quite honestly, irresponsible for me to put down some of the thoughts and focus on the players that we’re working now to build a performance for the season and concern myself with that. That’s where I should be, I think.”
Its’ as close to a certainty as possible that Ramsey and the Dolphins have moved on from one another. In what seemed like a foreshadowing post on social media Tuesday, Ramsey simply wrote, “5…” That message came exactly five days before the start of June, which seems to be the Dolphins’ target timing to move on from the cornerback due to salary cap implications.
The Dolphins will have multiple options after moving on from Ramsey, the easiest being to run with the room they have. However, with mostly unproven, young defensive backs on the roster, the depth chart is lacking standout starters. Several players signed as undrafted free agents in the last four years will battle with 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith, as well as fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall Jr. for spots.
It’s a secondary that has raised eyebrows with one ESPN analyst calling it “the worst position group” in the NFL.
Free agent cornerbacks rumored to be of interest to Miami include Asante Samuel Jr and Rasul Douglas, although both would come with their share of risk vs. reward.
At this moment, prior to any Ramsey movement, Miami has roughly $13.7M in cap space, so adding another corner to the room prior to training camp is very plausible — especially considering a Ramsey trade will clear even more room.
For now, though, McDaniel is focused on players in the building and not the high profile one looking for a way out.
