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Jalen Ramsey Rumors: Rams Contract Extension 'Not Close'; 'It's Still Early'
August 28, 2020
The Los Angeles Rams and cornerback Jalen Ramsey are reportedly "not close" on a contract extension, per ESPN's Josina Anderson:
Ramsey is entering the final season of his rookie deal.
L.A. acquired Ramsey in an October 2019 trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 25-year-old Florida State product has emerged as one of the NFL's top corners since the Jags selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 draft. He's earned three straight Pro Bowl appearances and was selected to the All-Pro First Team in 2017.
He recorded 50 total tackles, five passes defended and an interception across 12 appearances in 2019 (three with Jacksonville and nine with Los Angeles).
Earlier this month, Ramsey became frustrated with questions about his contract situation and whether he'd play if no deal was reached before the start of the regular season. He told reporters:
"I told y'all at the beginning of this, I said I'm controlling what I can control and when you asked me the question about my contract, I said I'm letting my agent, who is by far the best agent in the game, David Mulugheta, and the front office handle it. I can't do anything about it. I'm not worried about it. I'm trying to do my job as a football player. I'm trying to be a leader on the team, I'm not gonna do every Zoom session or however we gonna do them this year, talking about my contract. Look, if it comes, it comes. It's gonna be a surprise to me like it's gonna be a surprise to y'all."
Rams general manager Les Snead wouldn't provide information about contract talks with Ramsey.
"Not going to get into the intimacy of the details," Snead said Aug. 3.
Ramsey has taken part in training camp and hasn't suggested he'd hold out without a new deal.
He's slated to serve as the Rams' No. 1 corner once again in 2020. Troy Hill is the other projected starter at corner, but the team features limited proven depth at the position, which does give Ramsey leverage.
L.A. is set to open the regular season Sept. 13 when it hosts the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium.