Jalen Ramsey, Rams Agree to Massive Extension

The Los Angeles Rams and star cornerback Jalen Ramsey have agreed on a five year, $105 million extension. The Rams traded for the disgruntled corner at last year’s trade deadline. They had to cough up their 2020 and 2021 first-round picks, along with a 2021 fourth-rounder. In his nine games with the Rams last season, Ramsey intercepted a pass and had four pass deflections and a forced fumble. This is the largest deal ever for a cornerback and the most guaranteed money for a corner at $71.2 million.

The Rams also have locked up quarterback Jared Goff and defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who are their leaders on each side of the ball. So, their team has Donald leading their front-seven and Ramsey leading their secondary, which makes for a potent defense. We have heard some chatter about an extension getting done at the start of training camp, but Ramsey said he was not worried about a new deal. Another factor in the deal getting done is that HC Sean McVay has said that Ramsey has been dominating his first training camp with them.

“I thought I had an appreciation for the way that he played and just watching him from afar,” McVay said. “But now, really getting a glimpse and with the amount of competitive work we’re getting in these training camp settings, he’s even better than I thought.”

First-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is expected to use the lockdown cornerback in a variety of ways this season. Ramsey has also said he wants to do more in the secondary than just being a corner, saying before training camp that he would like to be considered a true defensive back in 2020 rather than a cornerback.

His arrival in Los Angeles marked a fresh start after a bumpy tenure in Jacksonville, which came to a head in the first half of the 2019 season. After a week two loss at Houston, then-Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin admonished Ramsey for his actions during the game, which included a sideline shouting match with coach Doug Marrone. Ramsey played the following Thursday against the Tennessee Titans but did not practice the following Monday because of an illness. He then missed Wednesday’s practice because of a back injury, and on the same day, it was announced that Ramsey would return to his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, for the birth of his second daughter. Ramsey spent the next three games inactive because of then back issue, then was traded to the Rams, where he was immediately cleared to play.

On an episode of “Hard Knocks: Los Angeles,” Ramsey said that Oct. 15, the day he was traded, was “probably one of the best days of my life.” In 60 career games, Ramsey has intercepted ten passes, returning one for a touchdown, and has 49 pass deflections and three forced fumbles.