JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey got his wish on Tuesday.
The Jaguars traded the disgruntled fourth-year player in a blockbuster deal, sending Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, and a fourth-round pick in 2021. Adam Schefter first reported the news, which the Jaguars confirmed shortly after.
The Jaguars now have 18 picks, including four first-round selections, over the next two drafts.
It capped a stunning exit from the Jaguars, the franchise that drafted Ramsey fifth overall in 2016, a year that also netted Myles Jack and Yannick Ngakoue. Ramsey is a two-time Pro Bowl player and was a first-team All-Pro in 2017. He is regarded as arguably the best cornerback in the NFL.
But his attitude and availability had both diminished by the week.
Ramsey missed three consecutive games with a back injury, convenient timing considering his trade request. He also missed a day of practice due to a sickness. Those three games were the only three that he had missed in the NFL or in college.
The relationship between Ramsey and the Jaguars went from tense to unsalvageable in a brief amount of time. He and coach Doug Marrone had a very public spat on the sideline during the first half of the Texans game on Sept. 15, apparently over the team not challenging a catch by DeAndre Hopkins.
Both Marrone and Ramsey played down the incident as something in the heat of the moment, but that set the table for a very public fracture.
Ramsey’s agent requested a trade following that game and it was leaked to the media the Monday afternoon following the Texans game. That made for an eventful few weeks in Jacksonville, with speculation rampant that Ramsey would be dealt at any time.
Ramsey said on the “Uninterrupted” 17 Weeks podcast with Nate Burleson over two sessions that the dustup with Marrone was nothing, but that he felt disrespected following the game by executive vice president of football operations, Tom Coughlin.
Owner Shad Khan publicly said last week that he felt Ramsey would play in Sunday's game against the Saints. But Ramsey didn't, held out again for his back.
For all of Ramsey's undeniable talent, his sometimes boorish and combustible personality made things difficult at times. Publicly, Ramsey entered 2019 a bit more toned down and reserved. But the Texans game changed all of that, and the power struggle between Ramsey and the front office was too much to move on from.