Jalen Ramsey’s new Dolphins contract might have been a significant miscalculation

In an NFL market that has high cornerbacks comparatively underpaid in relation to their significance, Jalen Ramsey continues to interrupt the financial institution. The three-year, $72.3 million extension Ramsey signed with the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 6 provides Ramsey an Common Annual Worth (a minimum of contract-wise) of $24.1 million per yr, edging him simply over Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos, whose four-year, $86 million extension signed a number of days earlier had him at $24 million per yr even.

It’s the second time in Ramsey’s 10-year profession that the fifth total pick of Florida State (by the Jacksonville Jaguars) in 2016 grew to become the sport’s richest cornerback, bookending the five-year, $100 million contract the Los Angeles Rams gave him in 2020.

“I wouldn’t say that I reset it once more; I’d say that ‘P2’ [Surtain] did his factor in resetting it the opposite day,” Ramsey mentioned the day the deal was struck, when requested the way it felt to reset the market as soon as once more. “After which I received to the mark the place I assume they have been working to get to so I might turn out to be the very best paid defensive again once more. So it’s all a blessing, however I’m blessed regardless. Daily I get up and received my stunning children and my household and all of the assist and all of the love from my teammates and all the pieces, I’m blessed regardless. I feel it’s cool. It’s a cool accomplishment not just for me, but additionally for my assist system. All of the individuals who work with me, my agent after all, David Mulugheta and all the pieces he’s been capable of accomplish in simply this yr. It’s only a cool second for everyone concerned, I feel.”

It was a cool second on the time, however by way of the primary two video games of Ramsey’s 2024 season, the play on the sphere has been problematic. Earlier than we get into the specifics, we should say that the hamstring damage Ramsey handled all through the preseason could also be a difficulty. However the metrics and tape must be trigger for concern.

By two video games within the 2024 season, Ramsey has allowed two catches on two targets for 40 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and an opponent passer score of 118.8. As we’ll see, these numbers might simply be a lot worse. He’s missed 4 tackles, and he has simply two solo tackles. And the tape reveals all types of examples displaying Ramsey out of section with the protection placed on the sphere by new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

Maybe essentially the most notable deep completion Ramsey has allowed this season got here in final Thursday night time’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Payments. With 7:11 left within the first half, the Payments had third-and-12 on the Miami 34-yard line, and working again Ty Johnson working a deep rail route up the precise boundary. Ramsey was enjoying on his toes greater than he was closing to the goal, maybe to keep away from giving up the large play downfield, however that’s precisely what occurred – a 33-yard achieve that allowed the Payments up go up 17-7 on a 1-yard James Prepare dinner run one play later.

And in Week 1 in opposition to the Jaguars, Ramsey gave up a 40-yard go from Trevor Lawrence to rookie receiver Brian Thomas, Jr. Ramsey received busted for go interference on the play, which can have stored Thomas from moving into the top zone and brought the play off Ramsey’s stat sheet, however the tape reveals that he was struggling a bit to remain in section with a pace receiver. And Lawrence making Thomas decelerate for the throw might need saved the Dolphins right here.

Probably the most wonderful factor about each of those deep passes was that they each landed at Miami’s 1-yard line, which signifies that Ramsey was 2 whole yards away from main the league in touchdowns conceded on throws of 20 or extra air yards. The penalty didn’t depend as a completion allowed, however given the construction of the play, that’s what it was. Ramsey was betting on the penalty being a greater choice than the landing allowed.

The Dolphins clearly hope that every one this has to do with the hamstring damage, and that every one might be nicely over time. However after I went to Ramsey’s 2023 tape, there have been too many examples of Ramsey permitting tight-window completions in opposition to good-to-great receivers, together with Brandin Cooks of the Dallas Cowboys on this Week 16 8-yard landing through which Ramsey couldn’t fairly shut.

And in opposition to Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11, Ramsey was very lucky that the opposing quarterback did regardless of the heck he did on this throw, as a result of Adams had Ramsey dead-to-rights on this nasty stutter-go.

So… perhaps it isn’t the hamstring.

Ramsey’s greatest performs usually come when he’s ready to make use of his soccer acumen and quarterback-reading means to take the ball away. This occurred twice in opposition to the identical Raiders that had him in hell with that Davante Adams transfer, with two interceptions within the sport. It’s the stuff above the neck that makes Ramsey a risk at this level in his profession.

“Everyone is aware of – when everybody is aware of the title of somebody that’s becoming a member of the crew and that title is predicated upon a repute of expertise and talent, everybody is happy,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel mentioned of Ramsey the day the contract was signed. “You don’t know what you’re completely – you assume you recognize, however you’re at all times excited to see how that particular person goes to slot in throughout the total complexion of issues. Since he’s been right here, it’s virtually felt mutually purposeful in that Jalen noticed a unique degree of participant and chief this crew may gain advantage from, and so he seized that.”

There’s no denying any of that, nor ought to there be. This isn’t about Jalen Ramsey’s worth to the Dolphins, per se – particularly if we’re speaking about intangibles. These within the constructing would know much more about that. That is about whether or not the contract given is the precise transfer, for now and into the longer term.

It’s clear that below the precise circumstances, Jalen Ramsey can nonetheless be a high-quality NFL defender. His skills in press protection and as an overhang defender make him priceless. However priceless sufficient to set the marketplace for his place for the second time in his profession? Is he one of many two or three greatest cornerbacks within the NFL?

That’s a more durable promote, particularly as Ramsey turns 30 on Oct. 24. That’s an age the place a whole lot of cornerbacks both see their performances begin to decline at their unique positions, or the argument is settled to a degree as they see themselves in additional overhang and security roles. Not all people may be Darrell Inexperienced, Willie Brown, or Ken Riley.

If what we noticed within the first two weeks of the 2024 season and over a number of stretches in 2023 are the truest indicators, the Dolphins might need priced themselves proper out of actuality.