Pros and Cons of the Vikings Potentially Making a Jalen Ramsey Trade

Jan 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; SoFi Stadium is reflected in the Oakley visor of Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings currently have a cornerback room that includes Kalon Barnes, Andrew Booth, Cam Dantzler, Akayleb Evans, and Tay Gowan. There’s a clear need to add a veteran presence to these young guys in the secondary, and some extra depth wouldn’t hurt, either.

With that in mind, it also appears that the Los Angeles Rams are going to tear things down on their defense this offseason. They’ve already released veteran LB Bobby Wagner, and all reports suggest that they will explore a Jalen Ramsey trade as well. So, today we ask the question, should the Minnesota Vikings swing a deal for Ramsey? Let’s talk through some of the pros and cons of the Vikings trading for the cornerback.

Pro: Health/Performance

Oct 16, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) in the first half against the Carolina Panthers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The veteran CB is certainly one of the more talented players in the NFL heading into 2023. He has made the Pro Bowl in every season of his career, and he made back-to-back First-Team All-Pro teams in 2020 and 2021.

Ramsey has also been a stable presence in Los Angeles’ secondary since he arrived in 2019. He’s missed just three games in the past 3.5 seasons with the Rams. This could be a welcomed addition to a Vikings group that saw major injuries to Booth, Dantzler, and Evans during the 2022 season.

Con: Price Tag

Nov 6, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7) is tackled by Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

There is certainly a lot of talent coming with Ramsey for whoever makes a trade to acquire him. However, this talent comes with a very steep price tag as well. Over the next three seasons, Ramsey is set to carry the following cap hits with him:

  • 2023: $25.2 million
  • 2024: $26.7 million
  • 2025: $22.7 million

This is on top of whatever draft capital a team will have to give up in order to acquire him in the first place. Early reports suggest that there will be a decent amount of interest in Ramsey on the trade market, meaning that there could be a price battle between multiple teams to acquire the star CB.

Additionally, the Vikings could find a number of other CBs in the free agency market that could fill a very similar role to Ramsey. First in mind, is Pittsburgh Steelers CB Cameron Sutton, who (1) already has experience with Flores from last season, and (2) won’t cost the Vikings any draft picks to acquire nor will have a cap hit nearly as high as Ramsey.

Pro: Might Thrive with Flores

Dec 25, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) argues a pass interference call with field judge Alonzo Ramsey (80) during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings went out and got Brian Flores to help turn around a defense that had major struggles in 2022. His scheme has always been blitz-heavy in defenses that he’s led in the past. During his three seasons as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, his teams ranked 11th, 2nd, and 2nd in blitz rate.

These types of defenses tend to need lockdown cornerbacks that can win one-on-one battles in man coverage. That fits right into Ramsey’s forte, and considering opposing QBs will almost certainly feel pressure from Danielle Hunter, Za’Darius Smith, and Co., this could be a fearsome group with someone like Ramsey.

Con: Age Could Catch Up with Him

Feb 5, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; NFC cornerback Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams (5) reacts against the AFC during the Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Of course, this is less of a concern with Ramsey than, say, bringing back Patrick Peterson as the starter for another year. Peterson will be 33 years old when the 2023 season begins while Ramsey will turn 29 in October.

However, looking down the road, will a 30-year-old Ramsey in 2024 still be worth $26.7 million? Or will a 31-year-old Ramsey be worth $22.7 million in 2025? Of course, if the Vikings won a Super Bowl in 2023, this discussion becomes much more irrelevant, but Adofo-Mensah discussed last offseason how he wants to avoid going “full Rams” or going “all-in” on a short-term championship window.

Pro: “Championship Standard”

Jan 8, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) returns an interception against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

During the postseason press conference, both Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell talked about ensuring their team reaches a “championship standard”. Ramsey almost certainly helps them get closer to that, at least for the 2023 season.

Minnesota won 13 games in 2022 with one of the worst defenses in the league. Assuming their offense stays largely intact and remains a top 10 scoring group, all they really need to do is get better on the other side of the ball in order to truly consider themselves contenders. Ramsey is the gold standard at CB in 2023.

Con: There Are Other Areas to Fix

Pros and Cons of the Vikings Potentially Making a Jalen Ramsey Trade
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) celebrates after stripping the ball away from Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones on Monday, December 19, 2022, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won the game, 24-12.Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Apj Packers Vs Rams 121922 2920 Ttm

To close, here’s ultimately why I believe the Vikings shouldn’t swing a trade to go “all-in” on a short-term fix at one position. Not only could the Vikings spend much less on a starting caliber CB in free agency, but cornerback certainly isn’t the only position that they need to fix, either.

Minnesota can’t afford to spend oodles of money and draft capital to bring in one player when positions like linebacker, interior defensive line, wide receiver, and potentially running back and QB2 could need to be addressed as well.

Ramsey is certainly a fun thought process for the Vikings, but at the end of the day, a trade feels unrealistic given his likely steep price tag, massive cap hits, and the Vikings overall needs across their roster.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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