3 Instant Reactions to Jalen Ramsey's Reported Trade to Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins made a huge splash on Sunday, trading for superstar Jalen Ramsey, per multiple reports.

After going 9-8 last season and ending a five-year playoff drought, the Dolphins aren't wasting time making improvements to the roster in a bid to return to the postseason.

Let's take a deeper dive into three instant reactions to the news of this major trade.

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Dolphins Are All-In on 2023 Title Pursuit

The Dolphins aren't messing around.

Landing Ramsey to pair with Xavien Howard—more on him to come—gives the Dolphins arguably the best cornerback duo in football. It improves a defense that already included playmakers like Bradley Chubb, Jevon Holland, Jaelan Phillips and Christian Wilkins. And it adds a player with a Super Bowl title and that experience into the locker room.

It's pretty clear the Dolphins are all-in on the 2023 season, and why not? Obviously there are long-term concerns about Tua Tagovailoa after he suffered multiple concussions this past season, but the Dolphins were 8-5 in his starts and just 1-3 without him. They are an excellent football team when he's under center and have one of the most dynamic offenses in football with wideouts like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.

And now they are even better on the defensive side of the ball as well. The battle for AFC East supremacy between the Buffalo Bills and Dolphins just became fascinating, and it could become a three-team race if the Jets ultimately trade for Aaron Rodgers.

So, the Dolphins loading up makes a lot of sense.

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Xavien Howard In Line for Monster Year as Miami's CB2

Howard's best season came in 2020, when he led football with 10 interceptions and 20 passes defended. It was his second of four Pro Bowl nods, but it also came alongside a fully healthy Byron Jones manning the other cornerback spot.

Now he gets an even better running mate in Ramsey.

Opposing quarterbacks are going to have no choice but to test Howard this season, given the alternative, and Howard likely won't be regularly drawing a team's top option in the passing game. He is, without question, one of the biggest beneficiaries of Sunday's news.

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The Rams' Rebuild Is Now in Full Effect

The 2021 champions were one of 2022's biggest disappointments, though injuries played a role in that letdown. But it's clear the Rams feel they maximized their prior window and are looking to either rebuild or, at the very least, retool the roster and trim some salary off the books.

The process had already begun, with the team previously moving on from linebacker Bobby Wagner and edge-rusher Leonard Floyd. And there are rumors that quarterback Matt Stafford might be on the trade block too.

The Rams might not go that far in reshuffling the roster. But if they were gunning aggressively for a title this season, it's hard to imagine they would trade a player like Ramsey.