The three-time All-Pro cornerback will be out for at least the first three months of the upcoming NFL season, as star Jalen Ramsey underwent a complete repair of a torn meniscus last week.
This occurred after he collided with wide receiver Tyreek Hill on a pass breakup in an 11-on-11 drill in practice last Thursday, as Ramsey was carted off with a left knee injury. Instead of just trimming the meniscus, which would take a shorter period of time to recover but would be more detrimental to his career longevity, the six-time Pro-Bowler decided to do the full repair and is projected to be back after the midpoint of the season at least.
The 28-year-old was traded back in March from the Los Angeles Rams, as he was part of the 2021-2022 team that won in Super Bowl LVI. Miami gave up a 2023 third-round pick (No. 77 overall) and tight end Hunter Long. The Rams ended up taking an edge rusher in Byron Young from Tennessee with that third-rounder from this past NFL Draft.
Now the Dolphins will be without their top projected cornerback for most of the 2023 season, as Ramsey was their big pickup in the offseason to help bolster a secondary that mostly struggled last year. Miami second-year head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the Ramsey injury on Monday.
“He was in good spirits, and, you know, I think the surgery went about as well as it could have,” McDaniel continued. “So, we’re elated about that. And, you know, in terms of where his mindset is at. He’s a self-proclaimed alien, and you know he couldn’t have a better mindset with which to attack this process.”
“He’s immediately, ‘Tell me whatever the timeline is, that I’m gonna beat it by a month. What I like about that is, thankfully, we have a training staff that really does a good job of protecting players against themselves. So I know that he won’t be rushed.”
In seven seasons, four mainly with the Rams and the team that drafted him back in 2016 as the fifth overall pick, the Jaguars, the star veteran corner has 19 career interceptions, seven forced fumbles, 21 tackles for loss, and 92 pass deflections. Ramsey was in Jacksonville for three full seasons before he was traded to Los Angeles back in 2019.
Without Ramsey, Miami will need another corner to step up to pair with veteran Xavien Howard. For depth and competition for a starting job, the Dolphins signed former Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants cornerback Eli Apple to a one-year deal in the wake of the injury to their starter.
Other than former 2020 first-rounder Noah Igbinoghene, who had his fifth-year option declined, the biggest candidate to take the outside corner role opposite Howard is second-round rookie Cam Smith from South Carolina. The former Gamecock had six career picks and 18 pass deflections in four seasons where he played different roles in the secondary.
Miami’s cornerback depth will be tested, as the Dolphins brought in new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this offseason. On the roster, second-year undrafted standout Kader Kohou exceeded all expectations last year as the starting nickel cornerback with veteran Nik Needham and Trill Williams dealing with their own injuries.
The former Denver Broncos head coach as the new D.C. will have his work cut out for him to revamp a defense that held the Dolphins back the last few years, as Miami is looking to win more than nine games this upcoming season. They will have to do so now without their big-name cornerback pickup.
