JACKSONVILLE, Fla. _ In an NFL Network interview Thursday, Jaguars owner Shad Khan stressed the importance of putting team above individual pursuits in describing the situation involving Jalen Ramsey's trade request.
Twenty-four hours later, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Khan is now willing to offer Ramsey a lucrative contract extension instead of trading him.
"Owner Shad Khan loves Ramsey, would be willing, from what I understand, to pay him and make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL as soon as he possibly can," Rapoport said on NFL Network's Good Morning Football show. "There is a lot of love here. So, for the Jacksonville Jaguars to part with Ramsey, they're going to have to be convinced, overwhelmed that it's the right move."
In June, Ramsey said the Jaguars informed him he wasn't going to be offered a contract extension this year, an expected development considering the team had already picked up his fifth-year option for the 2020 season.
Ramsey declined after Thursday night's game against Tennessee to comment about his uncertain future with the franchise since making a trade request through his agent following Sunday's game at Houston where he got into an ugly sideline confrontation with coach Doug Marrone in the first quarter.
Teams that may be interested in a potential trade deal to acquire Ramsey are the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks and the Oakland Raiders. The Jaguars are exploring trade offers for Ramsey and are seeking possibly two draft picks in exchange for the two-time All-Pro cornerback.
Ramsey said on a podcast that was posted by LeBron James' website "Uninterrupted" on Thursday that unspecified Jaguars team officials said "disrespectful things" to him after last week's game against Houston which he said led to his decision to ask for a trade through his agent.
Jaguars top executive Tom Coughlin and general manager Dave Caldwell have declined to comment about the Ramsey situation. When asked what can he do to help mend the relationship between Ramsey and the front office, Marrone said he is going to focus on his own responsibilities and do what's best for all his players.
Marrone didn't give a direct response when asked if he wants to see Ramsey on the team long term.
"Again, I think it's the same thing. My job, and my role, is to coach the guys and do the best job I can for the guys that are here," Marrone said. "I think if I start commenting on this and that, then that's outside my job description. My job is to coach the players that are on the roster. I don't have control of the roster, nor do I want control of it, and that's what makes me be able to do my job better.
"If I start worrying about all of the other stuff _ I've seen it before where coaches get out of whack and it's not very good for the team and it's not very good for the whole building. So I'm very comfortable in my role, I'm very comfortable (with) what I'm doing with the players and where my focus is."
Ramsey started in Thursday night's 20-7 victory against the Tennessee Titans and finished with the second-most tackles on the team with nine, and he forced a fumble. And despite wanting out of Jacksonville, Ramsey heard cheers and only a few boos when he came on the field with the defense for the first time Thursday night at TIAA Bank Field.
"This defense has always been elite. The guys on this team are talented, and we put in work on the field," Ramsey said. "We see the defense worked hard today and got nine sacks, so I say we stepped up to the plate when we needed too. I was excited out there with them."
