Getty Jalen Ramsey with Los Angeles Rams teammates.
Cornerback has been a position the Las Vegas Raiders have struggled to solidify for years. The team has used three first-round picks on cornerbacks since 2013 and none of them got second contracts with the team. Some of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history wore the silver and black but the team hasn’t had an All-Pro at the position since Nnamdi Asomugha in 2010.
However, things could’ve been much different for the Raiders in recent years. When All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he requested a trade and made it clear that he wanted to go to Las Vegas. He even outright said that the Raiders were one of the few teams he’d want to play for.
The Los Angeles Rams eventually landed him for a 2020 first-round pick and a 2021 first-round pick. The Raiders clearly weren’t interested in giving up two first-round picks. That was much to Ramsey’s dismay. Despite having success with the Rams and winning a Super Bowl, the cornerback recently revealed that he was desperate to get to the Raiders before getting traded.
“The team that I pushed for the most. I was like ‘Please get me here’ was at the time the Oakland Raiders,” Ramsey said on the “Behind The Cut” podcast. “I dang near begged to go to the Raiders. I begged to go to the Raiders and they sent in an offer. It wasn’t the exact offer that Jacksonville wanted and the Rams came with the exact offer.”
Picks Raiders Hoarded Flopped
Not trading for Ramsey is just one of the many blunders that the Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock regime made. The Raiders had three first-round picks between 2020 and 2021. They used them on wide receiver Henry Ruggs, cornerback Damon Arnette and offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood. None of those three players are still with the team. Essentially, the Raiders could’ve traded two of those players to land the arguably best cornerback in the NFL.
Las Vegas would’ve eventually had to pay Ramsey a massive salary he’s proven to be worth it. He could’ve been the shutdown cornerback the team has longed for. Instead, they hoarded their draft picks for players who couldn’t even play out their full contracts. The Gruden and Mayock regime just continues to look worse with each passing season.
Ramsey Coming off Bad Game
Many may look at the Raiders not trading for Ramsey as a good move after his performance against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. He had one of the worst games of his career trying to slow down Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. According to Pro Football Focus, Ramsey gave up a perfect passer rating.
That’s not what the Rams want to see from one of their highest-paid players but he’s also allowed to have a bad game. Last season, Ramsey was PFF’s No. 1 rated cornerback. Diggs and Allen are one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in the NFL. Most cornerbacks would struggle with that. Ramsey is still an elite player and should bounce back. The Raiders and Davante Adams will be getting a close look at him when they come to Los Angeles to face the Rams in Week 14.
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Rams Superstar Wanted Raiders to Trade for Him: ‘I Dang Near Begged’