Jalen Ramsey to Dallas? Weighing the case for and against a Cowboys trade

Dallas acquiring the All-Pro cornerback would strengthen the Cowboys' 2025 chances in the NFC East, but it'd come at a steep cost

The Miami Dolphins plan to move on from All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey ahead of the 2025 season and recent reports indicate the Dallas Cowboys being a potential trade suitor. Miami's relationship has soured with Ramsey, who is signed through the 2028 season and carries a salary guarantee of $24.3 million this season.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier acknowledged recently the decision to explore trade options with Ramsey was mutual. The Cowboys are one of several franchises kicking the tires with Miami on a possible deal that will have to work for both parties before it comes to fruition.

Adam Schefter reported this month the Dolphins were receiving more calls than expected for Ramsey. The caveat to that, as noted, is that a trade would not be processed until after June 1 for cap reasons. Dallas is working on a contract extension for pass rusher Micah Parsons that could limit what the the Cowboys are willing to take on financially with Ramsey. Ironically, agent David Mulugheta represents both Parsons and Ramsey.

The Cowboys finished 7-10 last season, marking the first time Dallas failed to reach the playoffs since 2020. Quarterback Dak Prescott was limited to eight games with a hamstring injury and the Cowboys' floundered as a result, making this offseason of roster improvements paramount to the franchise's success in the coming months.

Acquiring Ramsey would check several boxes for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who said in April that Dallas was planning for "two pretty substantive trades" ahead of the 2025 season.

Why it works

Matches another blockbuster acquisition with defensive gem

The Cowboys acquired Steelers wideout George Pickens in a major move earlier this month, which fills half of that lofty prediction from Jones, who previously detailed his thoughts by saying the franchise was "looking at two things that could happen before or after the draft." 

The 1-2 punch of CeeDee Lamb and Pickens on the outside for Prescott next season ensures the Cowboys have speedy, reliable threats in the passing game to combat a competitive schedule. Equally important for a franchise itching for a postseason return is their ability to limit big plays, considering the overall talent in the NFC East after the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl and the Washington Commanders reached the conference championship.

Ramsey would boost the Cowboys' strengths against the pass and would help a defense overall that surrendered 27.5 points per game in 2024, second-to-last in the NFL. Looking at the depth chart, Dallas adding Ramsey makes a lot of sense from a roster standpoint, independent of what it may cost to come to terms. The Cowboys lost Jourdan Lewis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency on a three-year, $30 million deal, and Trevon Diggs won't be ready for training camp after undergoing cartilage surgery in January.

Diggs dealt with several nagging injuries during the 2024 season amidst his return from a torn ACL suffered the previous campaign, but managed to play in 11 games with two interceptions. With top-end wideouts in the division like Malik Nabers, A.J. Brown and Terry McLaruin, the Cowboys need reliability at cornerback as soon as the season starts.

Eliminates need to rush rookie Shavon Revel back on field

The Cowboys expect third-round 2025 NFL Draft pick Shavon Revel Jr. out of ECU to be a secondary cornerstone in the future, but he's expected to being training camp on the PUP list following ACL surgery last season, according to executive vice president Stephen Jones. Revel went down in September and missed the rest of the campaign, including the entirety of the pre-draft process. 

"This kid's very motivated, this man's very motivated and there's obviously an opportunity here — he's young — that he exceeds expectations and starts practice during training camp, but we also know it could be later than that," Jones said after Revel was drafted.

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With an unknown timeline for Revel's return, Ramsey would be a shoo-in to seize one of the starting role since, right now, DaRon Bland and offseason signing Kaiir Elam figure to be the first cornerbacks on the field if Diggs is unavailable to start the season. There's hope Caelen Carson, a 2024 fifth-round pick, plays at a more consistent level than he did as a first-year player.

That said, Cowboys coach Brian Schotteinheimer doesn't seem to be pressing panic on his team's predicament at cornerback for the time being.

"I feel good about it," Schottenheimer said last week prior to the team's second organized team activities practice of the spring. "I think the draft was big for us with Shavon. I think we wanted to add some depth at that spot. Kaiir Elam has been just awesome for us. We do a thing where we kind of monitor the top speeds each week that our guys have hit in phase two out there running, and he's had one of the fastest times each week, which is great. Trevon, DaRon, getting Caelen Carson back. 

"I feel like we won't know, we won't put timetables on the injured guys, but I think you'll see early on in training camp that the depth should be there for us."

Why it doesn't

Compensation must work for both sides

Various reports indicate the Dolphins are looking for at least one draft pick included in a package for Ramsey. Miami's had several weeks to field offers for Ramsey behind the scenes given the expected post-June 1 decision for cap advantages. Dallas traded multiple 2026 and 2027 draft picks to the Steelers in the Pickens deal, so the availability pool for future picks in another move is slim for the franchise.

"Dallas places a premium on their own draft picks," said Garrett Podell, who covers the Cowboys for CBSSports.com. "They also typically look to invest in younger players when there's the type of acquisition cost involved with trading for and having a player like Ramsey and his salary on their books."

If there are more teams, as reported, in the Ramsey sweepstakes, the Cowboys may have to move off of a future second-round selection to increase the value for Miami. Ramsey turns 31 in October, so the Dolphins are not going to get a first-round swap in a deal for the cornerback.

Timeline doesn't add up

Podell does not think the Cowboys will make a move at cornerback until training camp later this summer, which affords them the opportunity to see what they have in terms of health from Revell and Diggs. Miami would probably like to trade Ramsey before camp begins.