Cornerback is definitely an area of concern for the Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys have been active this offseason, even after the draft, trading for George Pickens to round out what should be a really solid receiving corps now. It doesn’t sound like they’re done, either, as insiders have recently suggested Dallas is one of several teams interested in Jalen Ramsey.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Dolphins are engaged with multiple teams on a Jalen Ramsey trade with nothing imminent.
Fowler named the L.A. Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders as potential suitors.
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) May 23, 2025
Ramsey, who the Cowboys infamously passed on in the 2016 NFL Draft to take Ezekiel Elliott, has been with the Dolphins for the last two years. At 30 years old, Ramsey is approaching the twilight of his career, though he did make a triumphant return from a torn meniscus early in 2023, playing all 17 games this past year.
That said, there are reasons why Ramsey simply doesn’t make sense in Dallas.
For starters, as is usually the case with the Cowboys, the money is an issue. Ramsey signed an extension with the Dolphins just last year that gave him $24.23 million in guaranteed money. He’ll carry a cap hit of $16.67 million for this season, and it’ll balloon to just over $25 million in 2026; the contract tops out with a $36.17 million cap hit in the final year, which isn’t until 2028.
It should be noted that Ramsey’s contract has an out after this next season, with potential cap savings up to $18.29 million. However, given his age and injury history, does it really make sense to give up assets (likely draft capital) for a one-year rental? The Cowboys just did that with Pickens, but he’s six years younger and $13 million cheaper.
Of course, the Cowboys have the room to make it work. They’re currently looking at $32.26 million in cap space, per Spotrac. However, the team is (allegedly) working on an extension for Micah Parsons, and will also have to make decisions this offseason about Donovan Wilson, DaRon Bland, Jake Ferguson, Jalen Tolbert, and Pickens.
In other words, the Cowboys likely aren’t thrilled about the idea of giving up even more draft picks for an aging cornerback that will cut their cap space in half and almost certainly needs to be released after one year on the payroll.
Then there’s the issue of Ramsey’s actual play.
The Cowboys have Bland, who they should feel good about despite an uneven 2024. They also like Trevon Diggs, though he’s rehabbing an injury and may or may not be available at the start of the year. Rookie Shavon Revel Jr. is in a similar situation, tearing his ACL last September.
Kaiir Elam, Caelen Carson, Israel Mukuamu, Josh Butler, Kemon Hall, Andrew Booth Jr., and a couple others will also be in the mix to potentially start in 2025, at least until Diggs is back to full health. That uncertainty is why the Cowboys need to find another viable option at the position, but in 2025, Ramsey just isn’t that.
This past season, Ramsey gave up a 70.8% completion rate and a 93.5 passer rating when targeted. That’s his highest completion rate and second-highest passer rating ever allowed. Perhaps most concerning, though, is that Ramsey gave up the 15th-most yards per reception despite having the 10th-lowest average depth of target.
It’s not a surprise that Ramsey is showing signs of decline. He played at the highest level for a long time, being named an All-Pro three times and a Pro Bowler seven times. But Ramsey is past his prime now, despite still being paid top dollar.
That makes him a poor fit for the Cowboys, who need someone reliable in the secondary without breaking the bank. They can’t afford to close the book on adding another cornerback before the season starts, but Ramsey cannot be the guy.
