The San Francisco 49ers have sent shockwaves through the NFL with a stunning announcement, encapsulated in six dramatic words: “We have traded our top star!” This $72 million trade has left fans and football analysts reeling, marking a major turning point in the team’s strategy ahead of the new season.
Kyle Shanahan calling plays.
The San Francisco 49ers have had a strange offseason, with multiple players departing. For a 49ers team that wants to win a Super Bowl, as they proved after signing Brock Purdy and attempting to retain much of the same core that they have, despite moving on from certain players, the idea should be to do everything possible to be as elite as possible.
Given that’s the case, the 49ers could look at somebody like Jalen Ramsey as a potential trade asset. In a recent trade idea from Grant Cohen of Sports Illustrated, he pitched the 49ers to trade for him, linking them to the Miami Dolphins star because of Robert Saleh’s connection with him and their lack of talent in the secondary heading into the year.
“Saleh coached Ramsey when he was a rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016. That season, Saleh was the Jaguars linebackers coach, and the head coach was Gus Bradley who currently is the 49ers’ assistant head coach. So they have a connection to Ramsey…
“Keep in mind, Saleh had lots of success with older cornerbacks during his first stint as 49ers defensive coordinator. He brought in Richard Sherman after he tore his Achilles on the Seahawks, and the 49ers went to a Super Bowl with him. Next, Saleh revived Jason Verrett’s career — he was one of the 49ers’ best players in 2020. Ramsey currently is better than those two were on the 49ers. If they’re serious about contending in 2025, trade a late 2026 draft pick for Ramsey before the Rams do,” he wrote.
Ramsey Will Be Traded at Some Point
The San Francisco 49ers will certainly have a chance to trade for Ramsey. The Miami Dolphins are expected to move him any day now, and after Mike McDaniel’s comments recently, it makes even more sense for the 49ers to be interested in him.
According to Pro Football Talk, McDaniel said that he’s focused on the players in the Dolphins’ building, offering a strange response when questioned about what will happen with Ramsey in the future.
“We are focused on building the Dolphins today. Anything outside of that, any sort of distractions, I’m not focused on,” McDaniel said.
“Personally, I don’t give a (expletive) about what I feel,” McDaniel said. “I don’t even really go down that road of how I feel about it. My job is to react and control my controllables and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately. Business is business.”
The good thing about trading for Ramsey is that he’s still one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL.
The Hefty Price Tag
If the San Francisco 49ers could land him, there’s an expensive price tag that comes with it, given he’s on a $72.3 million deal, but they shouldn’t have to give up many assets.
The Miami Dolphins gave him that massive contract, and could have to eat some of it, but ultimately, it wouldn’t require the 49ers to move many picks.
Sure, Ramsey is getting older, but he still proved a year ago to be one of the better players in the NFL. It was a down year for the Dolphins, but the 49ers understand that Ramsey wasn’t the reason why.
Implications for the upcoming season
With this trade, the 49ers are sending a clear message: they are willing to take risks to achieve bigger goals, possibly a Super Bowl run. The assets acquired in the trade will allow the team to invest in young talent or bolster weaker positions in the roster. However, losing a high-value player also poses challenges in maintaining balance across the team’s lines.
As of now, the team has not released an official statement detailing the trade, but sources indicate a press conference will be held in the coming days to clarify the situation. Fans are eagerly awaiting further information to better understand the 49ers’ new direction.
Conclusion
This $72 million trade is not only a bold move by the San Francisco 49ers but also a reminder that the NFL is full of surprises. Will this decision propel the 49ers to glory, or will it put them in a precarious position? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for the latest updates on this shocking trade!