Ram Digest

Rams CB Jalen Ramsey Downplays Facing His Former Team: 'It's Another Game'

After being dealt to the Rams in 2019, Jalen Ramsey faces his former team for the first time since the trade.

MJ Hurley

From 2016-2019, Jalen Ramsey was the star Jacksonville needed. Leading the Jaguars defense to an AFC Championship game in the 2017 season, Ramsey was on top of the NFL world. However, it all came crashing down when Ramsey got into a heated argument with head coach Doug Marrone on the sideline during the Jaguars Week 2 game.

After claiming they had no intention of trading their young star, the Jacksonville front office dealt Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams for a package centering around two first-round picks. Sean McVay mortgaged half of the Rams future for a star corner, and for the most part, the move has worked out extraordinarily well.

Before leaving the Jaguars, Ramsey totaled nine interceptions, 45 passes deflected and 193 tackles. Dominating against the pass and providing contributions in run support, Ramsey was elected First-Team All-Pro in 2017, just his second NFL season.

The trade for Ramsey came on the same day that the Rams sent veteran DB Marcus Peters to the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore sent LB Kenny Young in the trade, a move which now means little with the recent trade sending Young to Denver. prior to this year's NFL trade deadline. Not afraid to make in-season moves, McVay and the Rams are no stranger to making moves in-season that have shaped the defense Raheem Morris now leads.

Ramsey will face the Jaguars for the first time since being traded to Los Angeles. With the Rams reeling on a three-game losing streak, Ramsey’s presence will be of the utmost importance. Jacksonville lacks a true top receiving option, so the star position Ramsey occupies will be even more important to fly around the field and create chaos wherever he can.

Ramsey has already outdone himself in 2021, proving why L.A. won the deal. Ramsey has three interceptions, 10 passes defended and 56 tackles this season.

While many assume this game would mean a lot to Ramsey, the two-time All-Pro cornerback left little to the imagination when asked about Sunday’s game.

“To be honest, I don’t care,” Ramsey said Thursday when asked about facing his former team. “It's cool. It was part of my journey. You know what I mean? I'm grateful for my time there, but I'm here now. I'm happy to be here. So, it is what it is. This ain't really like about me playing Jacksonville. It’s another game, right? I don't even really much know people there no more. They got a whole new damn near organization. Like I only know probably like five people on the team and I don't even really be talking to them like that. I don't even talk to like maybe two of them. So, I mean, yeah. I ain't really trying to answer no Jacksonville questions or nothing about Jacksonville. It's not about that. It's another game. I treat every game the same. It don't mean more to me. It don't mean less to me. It is what it is. I'm grateful for my time there. It was cool, but that's it.”

With the Rams slipping down the NFC standings, winning is the thing that should be on the forefront of everyone’s mind. No matter what happens Sunday, the Rams unequivocally won the 2019 trade, and Ramsey's efforts in Week 13 could perhaps put the exclamation point on that.

Kickoff for this week's matchup between the Rams and Jaguars is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 5 at 1:05 p.m. PT inside SoFi Stadium.

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MJ Hurley
MJ HURLEY

MJ Hurley is a writer, podcast host and credentialed NFL reporter.

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