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All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey hasn’t been shy about wanting to play for the Las Vegas Raiders in the past. Before last season, he straight up said that they were one of the two teams he’d like to play for. He also did some things after he requested a trade that suggested he was hoping to get moved to the Raiders.
He was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster deal that saw the team give up two first-round picks. However, the Rams didn’t give him a contract extension upon his arrival and it doesn’t seem like they’ll have an agreement on one anytime soon.
With Ramsey set to have his contract expire after this upcoming season, there’s a chance he could be 2021’s most sought after free agent. If that does happen, expect the Raiders to be players for his services. Especially when you look at his recent Instagram activity. As Raider Cody on Twitter pointed out, Ramsey recently commented on a post from Raiders first-round pick Henry Ruggs saying, “Who got 22??.”
However, he quickly deleted it. A lot can happen between now and next offseason, but if Ramsey makes it to free agency, expect the Raiders to reach out to him.
Losing Ramsey Would Be Disaster for Rams
Now, if the Rams don’t sign Ramsey to a long-term deal, it would be one of the biggest disasters imaginable. Giving up two first-round picks to have a player for two seasons could seriously set the team back. At the end of the day, it’s still likely that the Rams retain him. They’ll probably offer him more money than anybody because of their investment.
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Raiders Have an Advantage Over Rams
While the Rams have to do what they can to keep Ramsey around, there are big advantages that the Raiders have if the cornerback gets to free agency. First off, Ramsey made it clear last year that one of the places he’d like to play was Las Vegas. There was no mention of Los Angeles. Also, he specifically pointed out that the Raiders’ new city doesn’t have any state income tax which would save him millions of dollars.
On the other hand, California has the highest personal income tax out of any state in the country. If the name of the game is making money, then the Rams will have to pay him a lot more than the Raiders could offer him. Now, the Rams are a good team and aren’t far removed from a Super Bowl appearance. If Ramsey values winning, Los Angeles is a good place to be. The Raiders are an up and coming team but have only made the playoffs once since 2002. There’s a lot of excitement around the franchise as they’re getting a new stadium but so are the Rams. That shouldn’t matter much to Ramsey.
This season could be big for both teams. If the Raiders take the next step and go to the playoffs while the Rams falter in the brutal NFC West, Ramsey could decide to jump ship. He’d cost the Raiders a ton of money, but based on this offseason, they’re willing to spend big on cornerback talent.
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