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Former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey is not headed to the Kansas City Chiefs; he will become a member of the Los Angeles Rams, per various reports. Here’s ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
It’s happening: Former Jaguars’ CB Jalen Ramsey is being traded to the LA Rams for two first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, and a fourth-round pick in 2021, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2019
The Rams will send two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder for the 24-year-old lockdown corner, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent in 2021. With the amount of draft capital the Rams sent in exchange for Ramsey, it is likely Ramsey will never see the open market.
Ramsey had been tied to the Chiefs back in mid-September, when it became public knowledge that he requested a trade after a sideline altercation with Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone. Ramsey played his last game for the Jaguars on September 19, a 20-7 win over the Tennessee Titans. Ramsey has been out of the lineup ever since, first citing illness, then the birth of his child, then back issues.
The Rams started the day by trading former Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for linebacker Kenny Young. The Rams originally acquired Peters by sending a 2018 fourth-rounder and 2019 second-rounder to the Chiefs.
Rapid reaction
The cost to acquire Ramsey was likely too much for Chiefs general manager Brett Veach, who will want to keep his premium draft picks and cap room as the franchise prepares to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes a record-setting contract next offseason. This strikes me as good business.
As for the Rams-Chiefs trade, right now, that pans out as Peters for safeties Armani Watts and Juan Thornhill.