JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ Thankfully, one of the best talents in Jaguars' history, and its biggest headache, is out the door.
Nearly one month after demanding a trade, All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey got his wish Tuesday night when the Jaguars dealt him to the Los Angeles Rams for a 2020 first-round draft pick, plus a first-rounder and fourth-rounder in 2021.
Not only does it bring to an end a four-week soap opera that was like a black cloud hovering over the franchise, but the Jaguars came away with about as good a haul of draft capital as they could expect and sent Ramsey to an NFC team.
There's nothing not to like about this trade. The Jaguars got rid of a player that was becoming a royal pain in the backside to deal with, especially to the coaching staff. Ramsey also seemed to have little interest in going all out to return from a back injury after missing the last three games.
While a segment of Jaguars' fans will be disappointed the team felt compelled to trade away their most talented player, there should be rejoicing over what this franchise got in return. Providing the front office makes smart choices with the three Rams' picks, it gives the Jaguars more draft ammunition to keep fortifying the roster and remain a playoff-competitive team for the foreseeable future.
As good a player as Ramsey is, and he clearly made the secondary better when he was out on the field, the organization became weary of the weekly drama his initial trade demand had created. Whether it was the unknown of his playing status, or the public comments posted each Thursday on the "17 Weeks" podcast on the "Uninterrupted," the Jaguars did the right thing by pouncing on the Rams' offer.
Ramsey made it abundantly clear, over and over, that he didn't want to play for the Jaguars any longer after a postgame discussion with front-office czar Tom Coughlin following a 13-12 loss to the Houston Texans didn't go well. Ramsey likely drew the ire of Coughlin by initiating a sideline spat with coach Doug Marrone for not challenging a 3-yard completed pass, which led to both parties putting their hands on the other.
So for nearly an entire month, Ramsey and the Jaguars drew their respective lines in the sand _ one wanting a trade and the other not budging. It just became a question of when the divorce would finally happen.
Remember, one week ago, owner Shad Khan was hell-bent on keeping Ramsey. But when Ramsey didn't play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, right after Khan publicly declared he expected him to play, it only took 48 hours for the Jaguars to find a suitable trading partner.
Mercifully, the Rams, who had already traded for pass-rusher Dante Fowler last October, offered another draft package the Jaguars couldn't refuse.
It'll be interesting to see how quickly Ramsey, who had never missed a start in his career until the Denver Broncos game on Sept. 29, is healthy enough to suit up for the Rams. And how long it takes for them to give him the lucrative long-term extension he's going to want.
Whether Ramsey has long-term success in L.A., or even becomes a Hall of Fame-type player, is inconsequential right now. The larger point is the Jaguars got rid of a player that didn't want to be here and received fair compensation in return.
So good luck to Jalen Ramsey in his next football chapter, and good riddance as well. The Jaguars can breathe a sigh of relief that No. 20 is now somebody else's problem.
