Jalen Ramsey is entering the final year of his rookie contract, which will also be his second season with the Rams. The Jaguars were unwilling to pony up the cash to sign him to a long-term extension last year, and after the Rams acquired him in a trade for two first-round picks, Los Angeles couldn’t come to an agreement on a deal, either.
General manager Les Snead said the Rams have been negotiating with Ramsey’s agent ever since the trade was made, but there’s still nothing new to report on an extension. Ramsey is focusing on the football side of things and letting his agent handle the business aspect, which he made abundantly clear on a conference call Tuesday.
Ramsey abruptly walked off the Zoom video conference with media members after being asked questions about his contract situation.
He returned to the call shortly after leaving, once again reiterating that he’s focused on having a successful season on the field. He’ll let everything else play out as it will, allowing his agent David Mulugheta to negotiate with the Rams.
Snead said on Monday that he has a “healthy relationship” with Ramsey’s agent, but they want to keep details about the negotiations in-house – as they typically do. Snead wouldn’t divulge on whether he’s confident a deal with Ramsey will get done before the season, once again keeping talks about his contract close to the vest.
Ramsey may not have been an elite cornerback last season in Los Angeles, but a full offseason – even one adjusted by the coronavirus pandemic – should give way to a much better performance from the All-Pro.
If he returns to his 2017 form, the Rams could be staring a $19-plus million contract in the face for Ramsey. Or they could run the risk of ruining their relationship with him by handing him the franchise tag next offseason.
