One of the biggest storylines for the Los Angeles Rams this offseason is the possibility of trading star cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The Rams have talked to teams about Ramsey already, and though nothing is on the verge of happening yet, league sources told Tom Pelissero that he’s “very likely” to be dealt in the coming weeks.
Ramsey is 28 years old and will be 29 in October, so he’s still got plenty of good football ahead of him. He also has three years left on his contract and has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last six seasons.
Cornerbacks of his caliber don’t come available very often, which makes this a somewhat rare situation. The Rams are seeking cap space and draft capital, but how much they could get in return for Ramsey is a big question.
Looking back at trades involving star cornerbacks since 2000, we can get a sense of what a team might give up for Ramsey. Every trade situation differs, so there isn’t a perfect one-for-one comparison. But history tells us cornerbacks don’t typically get traded for a whole lot.
1
Stephon Gilmore (age: 31), 2021
Return: 6th-round pick
When the Patriots traded Gilmore to the Panthers, they were in no place of leverage. Gilmore wanted a new contract and the Patriots wouldn’t give him an extension, so they planned to outright release him before Carolina came calling with a low offer.
The sixth-round pick wasn’t an indication of Gilmore’s actual value or talent level, but rather the result of a contract dispute in New England.
2
Darius Slay (29), 2020
Return: 3rd- and 5th-round picks
Similar to Gilmore, Slay was also seeking a new contract when he was traded from the Lions to the Eagles. And immediately after that trade was made, Slay signed a three-year deal worth $50 million. He was entering the final year of his contract when the Lions traded him, failing to come to an agreement with the star cornerback on a new deal – which the Eagles had no problem doing.
3
A.J. Bouye (29), 2020
Return: 4th-round pick
Bouye was a Pro Bowler in 2017 but he regressed in the following two years before being traded to the Broncos in 2020. That deal was a failure for the Broncos, as Bouye only played seven games in Denver before being cut in 2021. He missed time in Denver due to injury and a six-game suspension toward the end of the 2020 season for a PED violation.
4
Jalen Ramsey (25), 2019
Return: Two 1st-round picks and 4th-round pick
The Rams acquired Ramsey from the Jaguars in 2019, which was amid a contract dispute with the team. They gave up a ton for the All-Pro corner, trading two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder.
In 2020, they signed Ramsey to a five-year deal worth $100 million, which he’s currently playing on.
5
Marcus Peters (25), 2018
Return: 2nd- and 4th-round picks (Chiefs traded 6th-rounder)
Peters had just finished his third season in the NFL when the Chiefs traded him to the Rams, and he was already considered one of the best at his position. The Rams didn’t have to give up a first-round pick for the 25-year-old corner, but they did trade a second-rounder.
Los Angeles never signed him to a contract extension, trading him midway through the 2019 season to the Ravens, where he eventually signed a new deal.
6
Darrelle Revis (28), 2013
Return: 1st- and 4th-round picks
Revis is probably the most comparable player in terms of trade value. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro with the Jets before being traded to Tampa Bay in 2013, but that deal came one season after Revis suffered a torn ACL, which surely had an effect on his trade value.
Revis indicated he wanted a new contract before the 2012 season, which was the second-to-last year of his deal, but he never held out. Upon being traded to Tampa Bay with one year left on his contract, he signed a six-year, $96 million deal with the Buccaneers.
7
Antonio Cromartie (26), 2010
Return: Conditional 3rd-round pick, turned into 2nd
Cromartie was a premier cornerback in 2007 as a first-team All-Pro, but he failed to make the Pro Bowl in the next two seasons, picking off five passes in 2008 and 2009 combined after recording 10 picks in 2007. Entering the final year of his contract, he was sent to the Jets for a conditional third-rounder, which turned into a second.
Before the 2011 season, he signed a four-year, $32 million extension with the Jets.
8
DeAngelo Hall, (24) 2008
Return: 2nd- and 5th-round picks
Hall was only a four-year veteran and a two-time Pro Bowler when he was traded from the Falcons to the Raiders in March of 2008, but his time in Oakland was short-lived. After being traded to the Raiders, Hall signed a seven-year, $70 million deal with Oakland. However, he only played eight games for the team before being released in November.
Hall was much younger than Ramsey is now, but he also wasn’t an All-Pro like Ramsey has been for several years.
9
Aeneas Williams (33), 2001
Return: 2nd- and 4th-round picks
Near the end of his career, Williams was traded from the Cardinals to the Rams in 2001. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro with the Cardinals previously, but he was also 33 years old when Arizona traded him to St. Louis.
Still, the Cardinals got second- and fourth-round picks for him, and the Rams got a versatile defensive back who played corner and safety. They signed him to an extension when the trade was completed. He was an All-Pro in 2001 and a Pro Bowler in 2003, starring in the Rams’ secondary.
