Vikings Named Possible Landing Spot for All-Pro CB
The Minnesota Vikings must rectify the NFL’s sixth-worst defense via 2022 DVOA, and landing the league’s top cornerback might just do the trick.
He’s Jalen Ramsey, a current member of the Los Angeles Rams. The six-time Pro Bowler could be on the move this offseason, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted Friday evening, “The Rams have had trade talks about six-time Pro Bowl CB Jalen Ramsey and league sources now believe it’s very likely Ramsey is dealt in coming weeks. Ramsey, 28, is due $17 million in 2023 on a front-loaded deal that averages $20M and L.A. is clearing cap space.”
Vikings Named Possible Landing Spot for All-Pro CB
Fast forward to the following day, and the Vikings are already getting mentioned as a possible landing spot for the 28-year-old.
Pro Football Network’s Justin Hier authored an article Saturday detailing possible trade destinations for Ramsey, and Minnesota made the cut. Hier wrote, “It seems like the Minnesota Vikings are always in need of cornerback help. But if we’re being realistic, that’s most teams in the NFL, as CB is one of the most difficult positions at which to find year-over-year consistently high-end play. Ramsey has provided that in spades for the Jaguars and Rams, and maybe now it’s time he does so in purple and gold.”
It is unclear which teams have called about Ramsey’s services, but a trade should culminate in the next two weeks.
“Suffice it to say Vikings could use some help on the boundary, and Ramsey could provide it. Cap space might be an issue, but Minnesota has several contracts with pricey vets that can be cut, restructured, or extended. There’s enough room to make it work,” Hier concluded.
At the moment, the Vikings have three playable corners under contract for 2023 — Andrew Booth, Cameron Dantzler, and Akayleb Evans. All three could show up to Vikings camp this summer and look wonderful; all three could show up to Vikings camp this summer and look unprepared. That’s where Minnesota is at with its current CB room.
Last year, Ramsey was graded as the league’s third-best corner, with an 86.4 score from Pro Football Focus. He lived one spot above upstart Vikings CB Duke Shelley, who registered an 82.9 PFF grade. Ramsey entered the NFL via the fifth overall pick in 2016 with the Jacksonville Jaguars and has dominated the league since.
Ramsey’s cap number in 2023 is $19.6 million (post-trade), making a trade to the Vikings with his existing contract doubtful. If general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wants a Ramsey trade, he would probably finagle the deal for draft picks and rework the contract while adding more guaranteed money and pushing off the cap hit into the future.
Ramsey was traded in 2019, and the Jaguars landed a 2020 1st-Round pick (K’Lavon Chaisson), a 2021 1st-Round pick (Travis Etienne), and a 2021 4th-Rounder (Robert Rochell). His pricetag won’t be quite that high this time because of his age, but the Rams will likely ask for at least a 2nd-Rounder and an additional pick(s). It should also be noted that the Vikings don’t have a 2023 2nd-Round pick because it was spent as a part of a deal for tight end T.J. Hockenson last November.
The Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, and Miami Dolphins were the other teams labeled by Hier as trade partners for Ramsey.
The Vikings ranked 31st in the NFL last year per passing yards allowed.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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