Despite Light Return, Trade of Jalen Ramsey Helps Rams

While the Rams would like to have kept Jalen Ramsey, this trade was beneficial for them in both the short and long-term.

When the rumors started to form around the possibility of the Los Angeles Rams trading superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey it was hard to tell just how much weight to give them.

After all, for a team looking to retool its roster and contend in the NFC again trading a player of Ramsey's caliber certainly wouldn't help in that regard. 

However, when the news broke that Ramsey was being dealt to the Miami Dolphins, it was clear the Rams are acknowledging their need to obtain as much draft capital as they can.

While the package received is relatively light - a 2023 third-round pick (No. 77 overall) and third-year tight end Hunter Long, it benefits the Rams in two key ways. First and foremost, more draft capital is good.

The Rams don't own their own first-round pick this year, so adding more selections in the later rounds will help add roster depth or potentially facilitate potential trade ups in the draft. 

Besides that, though, the Rams trading Ramsey to his preferred destination, even if for a relatively light trade package, shows they'll do right by their guys as best as they can.

That may not seem significant in the short-term, as losing a star corner is far from ideal, but in the long-term it shows players that are considering joining the Rams that the front office takes cares of them. 

The Rams might not get back to Super Bowl contention immediately, but that won't stop them from pursuing upgrades via free agency. 

Now, they've shown free agents they'll take care of them should they sign with the Rams - which could be a positive boost for them in free agency. 

---

You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rams? Click Here

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Ram Digest message board community today!

Follow Ram Digest on Twitter and Facebook.

Want even more L.A. Rams news? Check out the SI.com team page here.