The Los Angeles Rams made a blockbuster trade on Tuesday, acquiring All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder.
It’s happening: Former Jaguars’ CB Jalen Ramsey is being traded to the LA Rams for two first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, and a fourth-round pick in 2021, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2019
It was reported in September that Ramsey requested a trade from Jacksonville after a sideline altercation with head coach Doug Marrone, and he last played in a game in Week 3 (he’s magically feeling healthy now!). So, it was highly assumed that he’d be traded in-season, and there figured to be several suitors for a 24-year-old at a premium position.
Well, the Philadelphia Eagles were one of the teams rumored to be interested in a trade, and that certainly makes sense considering that they’re a contender with a need at cornerback. And one Eagles player told ESPN’s Josina Anderson on Wednesday that the organization “dropped the ball” by not acquiring Ramsey.
#Eagles player to me on Jalen Ramsey going to the #Rams: "We dropped the ball. I don't even want to talk about that (!@#^). Everybody knew what it was going to take to get him. I could've told you that."
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) October 17, 2019
“We dropped the ball. I don’t even want to talk about that (!@#^). Everybody knew what it was going to take to get him. I could’ve told you that.”
Now, it’s very understandable why an organization would hesitate at giving up two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder, especially for a non-quarterback.
But Ramsey is a game-changing talent that can take away a full side of the field, and the 24-year-old is likely to remain an elite player for a long while. And the Eagles are tied for first place with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East at 3-3, but have an obvious need at the cornerback position. Ramsey is the type of player that, on the surface, could put the Eagles over the top in the NFC East (or at least make them the clear favorites).
So it’s every bit as understandable how passing up this opportunity would bother Eagles players that believe Ramsey would make a huge difference for their championship chances right now (and players care very little about the organization’s future draft picks). And there are surely players on a few other teams around the league that feel the same way. Players of Ramsey’s caliber, at a premium position, and at his age, don’t become available very often.
