It turns out the Jacksonville Jaguars did have a price after all.
Although Jalen Ramsey made his desire to be traded abundantly clear after Week 2, the Jaguars in the following weeks maintained their stance of being uninterested in a blockbuster deal for the star cornerback. In fact, one league source recently joked to ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Jacksonville wouldn’t give up Ramsey even for five first-round picks.
Well, the Jags finally cut ties with Ramsey on Tuesday. They didn’t receive five first-rounders from the Los Angeles Rams, but they still made out quite nicely with a pair of first-round selections in addition to a 2021 fourth-round pick. According to NFL Network’s Mike Silver, it was the fourth-rounder that served as the linchpin.
“Over the past month, (Jaguars general manager Dave) Caldwell had received interest from numerous teams, at least one of which proposed sending two first-round picks in exchange for Ramsey, with another offering a first-rounder and a player regarded as having first-round value,” Silver wrote Wednesday. “That wasn’t enough to get the Jaguars to part ways with the two-time Pro Bowler, but with the Rams also including a fourth-round selection, they were willing to consummate the deal on Tuesday.”
The Ramsey deal was just part of what was an incredibly active day for the Rams and their front office. In addition to placing Aqib Talib on injured reserve, L.A. sent two-time Pro Bowl selection Marcus Peters to the Baltimore Ravens. Ramsey was going to be the Rams’ top cornerback even if Talib and Peters remained in the mix, but now even greater responsibility falls on the shoulder’s of the No. 5 overall pick in 2016.
Ramsey’s first challenge in a Rams uniform? Squaring off with Julio Jones on Sunday when Los Angeles pays a visit to the Atlanta Falcons.
