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 Dallas Cowboys have sent shockwaves through the NFL with a blockbuster trade, acquiring three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins just before the 2025 training camp. This move signals owner Jerry Jones’ aggressive approach to address the team’s defensive woes and bolster their Super Bowl aspirations after a disappointing 7-10 season in 2024.
The Cowboys’ defense struggled mightily last season, surrendering an abysmal 27.5 points per game, ranking second-to-last in the NFL. Jalen Ramsey, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champion with the Los Angeles Rams, brings elite coverage skills and versatility to a secondary in dire need of a lockdown presence. His ability to play multiple roles—whether shutting down top receivers or roaming the field—makes him a perfect fit for defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme, potentially forming one of the league’s most formidable cornerback duos alongside Trevon Diggs.
The trade stems from Miami’s salary cap constraints and a reported rift between Ramsey and head coach Mike McDaniel. With Ramsey’s $24.3 million guaranteed salary for 2024 and a $25.2 million cap hit looming, the Dolphins opted to move the 30-year-old star, structuring the deal to spread the cap hit post-June 1. While exact terms remain undisclosed, sources suggest Dallas parted with a 2026 third-round pick and possibly young cornerback DaRon Bland, who has recorded 14 interceptions in his first two seasons. Miami may also absorb part of Ramsey’s salary to facilitate the deal, easing Dallas’ financial burden despite their commitments to players like Micah Parsons and recent trade acquisition George Pickens.
Ramsey’s arrival addresses a critical need for the Cowboys, whose secondary has been plagued by injuries and inconsistency. With Diggs recovering from a season-limited hamstring injury and young talents like Caelen Carson and 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel still developing, Ramsey’s veteran presence offers immediate impact and mentorship. His recent purchase of a home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area fueled speculation about his interest in joining the Cowboys, a rumor that gained traction after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler named Dallas as a team to watch in trade talks.
However, the trade is not without risks. At 30, Ramsey is coming off a 2024 season where he missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since his rookie year, raising questions about whether he remains at his All-Pro peak. The Cowboys’ limited draft capital, already depleted by the George Pickens trade, and looming extensions for key players like Parsons, Jake Ferguson, and Jalen Tolbert, could strain their salary cap. Additionally, past tensions between Jones and Ramsey’s agent, David Mulugheta, who also represents Parsons, may complicate future negotiations. Critics, including former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus and insider Ed Werder, have questioned the wisdom of trading for an aging veteran, arguing that Dallas should prioritize developing younger talents like Revel, who is recovering from an ACL injury.
Despite these concerns, the upside is undeniable. Pairing Ramsey’s elite coverage skills with Parsons’ pass rush and a rejuvenated front seven could elevate Dallas’ defense to championship level. If healthy, Ramsey and Diggs have the potential to become one of the NFL’s most dominant cornerback tandems, offering hope to a fanbase eager for a return to playoff contention.
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.
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.