Category: Jalen Ramsey

Former Jags CB Jalen Ramsey says he’s ‘grateful’ for his time and experience in Jacksonville

When asked about the Jags, Jalen Ramsey had nothing negative to say about the organization and said he was “grateful” for his experience in Duval.

One of the biggest storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Week 13 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams will involve cornerback Jalen Ramsey playing the team that drafted him for the first time. As many are aware, the team traded the All-Pro to Los Angeles two seasons ago in October of 2019, and since, he’s continued to be an elite player for the NFL.

The relationship dod not end on great terms, and many believe it’s something Ramsey will use as fuel in Sunday’s game. However, on Thursday, that didn’t seem to be the case as he told the media that he was thankful for the time he spent in Duval as it kickstarted his career in the NFL.

“It was part of my journey,” Ramsey said, according to the Associated Press. “I’m grateful for my time there, but I’m happy to be here.”

It goes without saying that all players face adversity at some point in their career, and that was partly the case for Ramsey in Jacksonville. However, it’s something that ultimately made him stronger and he acknowledged that Thursday.

“I don’t like to compare Jacksonville to here,” Ramsey said. “I’m genuinely grateful for my time there and my whole experience. It was a part of my life that I needed, that I appreciated.”

While with the Jags, it wasn’t all bad for Ramsey as he became an All-Pro in just his second season. He also was a key part of a memorable Jacksonville defense that led the Jags to the playoffs and almost got a victory over the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship.

However, friction developed between him in the front office dating back to when Tom Coughlin rejoined the team, and the relationship never saw improvement. As a result, what was once an elite group deteriorated, and the rest is history.

Now, the Jags look significantly different than they once did, and for that reason, Ramsey doesn’t feel like Sunday’s game will be all that big of a deal for him.

“This isn’t really about me playing Jacksonville,” Ramsey said. “It’s another game, right? I don’t even really much know people there no more. They’ve got a whole new damn near organization. I only know probably like five people on the team, and I don’t even really be talking to them like that. I only talk to maybe two of them.”

Only time will tell if Ramsey truly views Sunday’s game as a revenge game or not as players often don’t reveal their true feelings about playing their old teams until after the game. Then again, he genuinely could be over the Jags, and the efforts he puts forward this upcoming Sunday could more so be about trying to end the Rams’ current three-game skid more than anything.

Bill Barnwell reevaluates the Jalen Ramsey trade

Barnwell has changed his tune, and he now says the Rams won the Jalen Ramsey trade.

It was a bit of a hard pill to swallow when the Jacksonville Jaguars had to trade Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams back in 2019. Ramsey was one of the most talented players the team has ever drafted and was well on his way to being an elite corner in the league at the time (if he wasn’t already there).

But Jacksonville’s return on the trade made it go down a little bit easier. In return for Ramsey’s services, the team received two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder. Losing Ramsey was hard, but the team now had four first-round picks in the next two drafts and had a major opportunity.

Now, two years later, those picks have all been made. They resulted in second-year pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, running back Travis Etienne, and defensive end Jordan Smith, with the latter two being rookies. Though this group has some potential, it’s not exactly the haul that some envisioned.

One such person is ESPN’s Bill Barnwell. Upon reevaluating the Ramsey trade (in which he initially declared the Jags a slight winner at the time), he thinks the Rams won the deal now.

At the time: After months of rumors and a mysterious back injury, the Jags finally moved on from Ramsey and made what felt like an inevitable trade with the Rams. I saw this as a slight win for the Jaguars, who got two first-round picks for a player who clearly wanted out. The Rams were also shedding more first-round picks from what was already a top-heavy roster for another player who was going to need a big contract.

What happened: Ramsey’s 2019 season was up-and-down, with his most memorable play likely coming as part of a blown coverage against the 49ers which helped push Los Angeles out of the playoffs. After resetting the cornerback market with a new contract extension, Ramsey returned to form in 2020, where he moved around the formation and allowed a 68.1 passer rating in coverage. He was widely regarded as the best cornerback in football by the end of the season.

Two of Jacksonville’s picks haven’t even taken an NFL snap yet, but the early returns aren’t promising. Chaisson was anonymous as a rookie, with one sack and nine knockdowns on 568 snaps. The new Jags regime used its other first-rounder on Etienne, and while Trevor Lawrence will have an old friend from Clemson on the field for his rookie deal, history tells us that teams don’t need to use first-round picks to find valuable running backs. Alvin Kamara, the optimistic comp for Etienne believers, was a third-round selection. This looks better for the Rams two years later.

In hindsight: Win for Rams

If Ramsey leaving Jacksonville was truly an inevitability given his deteriorating relationship with the front office, getting two first-round picks in exchange for him was about as good as the Jags were going to do. But those picks still have to pan out, and so far, it remains to be seen if they will.

It’s no secret that Chaisson had a disappointing rookie season, but there’s also reason for optimism on that front. He was largely playing out of position as a rookie, and that almost certainly harmed his production. With the team likely to run more 3-4 in the base formation in 2021 under new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen, Chaisson will be able to play the standup edge rushing role he excelled in while in college at LSU.

As far as using a first-rounder on Etienne goes, that move is a little bit more questionable. Not because Etienne isn’t a talented player or that he won’t be productive for Jacksonville, but simply because of the value (or lack thereof) in the running back position. Still, the team needed someone to shoulder some of the load James Robinson carried last year, and reuniting Lawrence with his college teammate is certainly one way to do it.

At the end of the day, Ramsey is one of the best players at his position in the NFL, and landing a player of his caliber using any of those picks was unlikely. But it’s also far too early to declare the Jaguars losers of this trade, and if Chaisson develops into a star pass rusher and Etienne becomes a playmaker, the trade will look a lot different in the future.

Jalen Ramsey takes a deeper dive into Jags saga, reveals who was ‘disrespectful’ to him before trade

We all know about Jalen Ramsey’s issues with Tom Coughlin, but on the ‘Catching Fades’ podcast with Aqib Talib, Ramsey claimed that former GM Dave Caldwell disrespected him, too.

One of the darkest periods in Jacksonville Jaguars history was when the news broke of All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey wanting a trade from the organization. A former Top-5 selection from the 2016 NFL Draft, Ramsey was probably as big of a defensive star as a small market team could have, and much of that was because he backed it up on the field. 

However, during the Jags’ second regular-season game of the 2019 season, it all hit the fan after Ramsey got into a verbal altercation with former Jags head coach Doug Marrone. As heated as that argument looked, though, it wasn’t the issue that led to Ramsey leaving — instead, it was a confrontational meeting with management after the game that left him feeling disrespected. 

In an interview with Aqib Talib on the “Catching Fades” podcast, Ramsey shared new details about how the post-game conversation went down. After Week 2’s game of 2019 (against Houston) the All-Pro corner says he was approached by son of Shad Khan, Tony Khan, (both of whom he said he respects), who asked Ramsey if he’d be willing to chat with them privately. However, when Ramsey came to the meeting, he was shocked to see that two others were standing alongside the ownership duo. 

Of course, as confirmed in 2019, one of those people was front-office leader Tom Coughlin. The other, according to Ramsey, was former general manager Dave Caldwell, who didn’t initially speak as Shad Khan started the conversation.

“I get in the office and it’s Tony, Shad, Tom Coughlin, and Dave Caldwell,” said Ramsey. “It’s four of them in there and then it’s just me and they were like…standing like in a semi-circle just all looking at me. So I’m hot now […] first of all, you told me it was just you and pops and now I’m in here [with more than ownership].

“[…] I want to say Shad started to speak first and was very respectful. You know ‘Jalen we got a lot of respect for your game’ this, that whoop-de-woo… ‘Are you and Doug going to be good? We don’t want anything going on between a key player and our head coach.’ I’m like ‘We good. It is what it is and that’s just part of the game.'”

Ramsey said that after Shad Khan spoke, Tony Khan chimed in with many of the same sentiments and suggested that Ramsey at least consider apologizing.

“Tony said something, too, and was real respectful, again,” Ramsey said. “Basically repeated what his dad said and kind of kept it moving like ‘Man we really think y’all should talk before anybody talks to the media. Y’all two should talk just to make sure y’all good and maybe you need to apologize to him.’

“And then I told him […] ‘Respectfully, I’m not about to apologize to him.’ I said, ‘That’s a part of the game. Emotions get high and we might get into it. It ain’t no beef, ain’t nothing going on between us. Me and coach good. We’ve always been good.'” 

Back when this was originally reported in 2019, Coughlin was widely speculated to be the one who Ramsey was referring to when he said he was disrespected. However, in this particular meeting, Ramsey says it was Caldwell who angered him in a confrontation that Ramsey claims was explosive.

“So then, Dave Caldwell, who was the GM…he took the total opposite — I guess they were in there playing good cop, bad cop. He took the total opposite approach. He started cussing and started trying to cuss me out, like ‘You need to go [expletive] apologize.’ […] I said ‘No, that ain’t happening.’ 

“And then he said something else, but I forgot what he said. You know how when you’re in shock sometimes, you give like that little laugh, like ‘He’s crazy.’ So, I gave him a little grin and he’s like ‘Oh, is this funny to you?’ And I just started shaking my head, and then he was like, ‘Well, just get the [expletive] out!’ And he opened the door, and I just walked out like laughing a little bit, and he slammed the door behind me.”

Ramsey said that’s when he called his agent, David Mulugheta, and informed him that he wanted a trade as the team seemed content with losing and didn’t handle business well. Many fans would agree after the team overpaid the wrong people (Blake Bortles and Nick Foles) and seemingly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by letting homegrown talent escape their clutches (like Allen Robinson, Yannick Ngakoue, Ramsey). 

Another issue presented by Ramsey’s retelling is that, if it’s an accurate summary of events, Coughlin and Caldwell had an unusually high level of involvement in the conflict. As front-office members, player-to-coach situations aren’t for them to handle. The issue might have been best left to those involved and ownership, if necessary.

Of course, as owner and the man who hired Caldwell and Coughlin, Shad Khan shares some accountability here. But after allegedly witnessing this situation with Caldwell, the team’s friction with Coughlin, and its dysfunction in general, it appears ownership was taking notes. 

If Ramsey’s explanation of that fateful meeting is accurate, it’s clear why Khan moved to a coach-centric approach with Urban Meyer, where the coach’s vision takes priority over others in the organization. 

Who’s the best Jags first-round pick of the last decade?

According to Bleacher Report, the now-Los Angeles Ram is the best player the Jaguars have taken in the first round since 2010.

Despite Jacksonville’s struggles since 2010 (the team has only had one winning season in that span), it has actually drafted fairly well. Under former general manager Dave Caldwell, the team landed some great value picks in the middle rounds like receiver Allen Robinson and center Brandon Linder. However, when it came to first-round picks, the team was not very consistent.

Obviously, the pre-Caldwell picks of Blaine Gabbert and Justin Blackmon were regrettable, but Caldwell also used first-rounders on Luke Joeckel, Blake Bortles and Taven Bryan. None of those players panned out (though Bryan still has time to turn things around).

And unfortunately for the Jaguars, their best first-round pick since 2010, according to Bleacher Report, is no longer on the roster. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey was a home run draft pick by the Jags, and his first three seasons with the team were quite exciting. But his relationship with the front office soured in 2019, and it culminated in him being traded to the Los Angeles Rams for two first-round picks.

It’s tempting to give edge-rusher Josh Allen the nod here. The seventh pick in last year’s draft had a fine rookie season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, tallying 10.5 sacks.

That rookie year was a big part of why the Jaguars traded Calais Campbell—his replacement is already on the team.

But even though cornerback Jalen Ramsey is no longer with the Jags after they traded him during the 2019 season, the 25-year-old has to be the guy here.

After being drafted fifth overall in 2016, Ramsey rapidly developed a reputation as one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks. He’s the epitome of a player whose stats don’t tell the whole story, because his numbers are depressed by the fact that opposing quarterbacks often just avoid throwing toward him.

On some level the Jaguars are no doubt bummed that both corners from the team’s “Pick-Fil-A” secondary have been traded, but in Ramsey’s case, at least the pair of first-rounders Jacksonville received from the Los Angeles Rams softened the blow.

Jacksonville certainly got good value in return for Ramsey, but whether the trade was worth it depends on how K’Lavon Chaisson (who they used one of the Rams’ picks on last season) and whoever the team selects at No. 25 this year pan out.
Regardless, it’s not a great sign when your best first-round pick from the last decade moved on to a different team so early in his career. Jags fans will hope this new regime can hold onto talented players better than the last one.

Jags hold No. 25 selection after Rams get eliminated from playoffs

The Jacksonville Jaguars now know where their first-round selection from the Rams will be slotted after they feel to the Packers Saturday.

In addition to picking first overall, the Jacksonville Jaguars will also be picking 25th in April’s draft as a result of the Los Angeles Rams being eliminated from the playoffs Saturday. In the first postseason matchup of the weekend, the Rams fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers by a score of 32-18 at Lambeau Field. 

The Jags received the No. 25 overall pick from the Rams after sending them cornerback Jalen Ramsey on Oct. 15 of 2019. They also received a 2021 fourth-round pick from them and a first-rounder in 2020. Of course, last year’s first-round pick (No. 20) from the Rams was used on defensive end, K’Lavon Chaisson.

With the Jags also acquiring the first overall pick, too, their selection from the Rams will really be the one to watch as many believe the Jags will select Trevor Lawrence first. They could use the Rams’ pick to address one of their many needs, which includes the tight end position, left tackle (if Cam Robinson isn’t re-signed), receiver, safety, cornerback, and defensive tackle.

The Jags have selected from the No. 25 spot in the past. That went well for them as they ended up with hard-hitting safety Donovin Darius out of Syracuse. Of course, Darius isn’t the only solid pick who has been taken 25th overall as other NFL stars have been picked there, too, like receiver Marquise Brown (2019) and cornerback Xavier Rhodes (2013), to name a few.

As for the Rams, the deal looks to be one worth it for them as Ramsey has been solid for them. It could work out for the Jags, too, if K’Lavon Chaisson shows the growth we saw late this season and Urban Meyer finds an impact player like the Jags did when they took Darius 25th overall many years ago.

Jaguars draft class ranked sixth in NFL, third in AFC

Once again, the Jags have earned high marks on their draft class of 2020 headlined by SEC standouts C.J. Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to need significant contributions from their 2020 NFL Draft class if they are to improve their record. After utilizing all 12 of their draft picks, they certainly got the heavy-hitters to get it done.

Many gave the Jags good grades for their class back in April and fans now can add Rotoworld to the list. In a recent look at each team’s 2020 hauls, analyst Thor Nystrom slotted them with the sixth-best class in the league and the third-best in the AFC.

Just a well-rounded process for the Jaguars overall. Jacksonville finished No. 6 in both Draft Score and in the UDFA class rankings and naturally checked in No. 6 in the NFL (and No. 3 in the AFC) in the overall Draft Haul rankings. I was higher on Jacksonville’s draft than the media at large, which ranked the Jags No. 11 in GPA. CB C.J. Henderson and EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson were no-doubt picks at positions of need. WR Laviska Shenault was grand theft in the second-round, while OT Ben Bartch and CB Josiah Scott were both big-time fourth-round values.

The Jags have already come out to say they expect both C.J. Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson to make an immediate impact Week 1.

Henderson will undoubtedly start after the Jags lost Jalen Ramsey in the 2019 season and A.J. Bouye this March. Chaisson, on the other hand, should see significant snaps, too, though Yannick Ngakoue’s status could impact his play-time.

Nystrom calling Laviska Shenault Jr. a steal isn’t shocking either. The Jags somewhat referred to him in the same light, stating that he basically would’ve gone much higher in 2019’s draft. He unfortunately had some injuries that hindered his 2020 stock, but the front office was still happy to land him nonetheless.

As for Ben Bartch and Josiah Scott, both could end up being the Jags’ starting right guard and nickelback in 2021 with A.J. Cann not meeting expectations and D.J. Hayden on the last year of his contract. Another player who was drafted in the fourth round that Nystrom didn’t mention was linebacker Shaq Quarterman, who has great developmental tools, too.

When looking at the contributions the Jags got from their 2019 class between Gardner Minshew, Josh Allen, and Jawaan Taylor, Nystrom isn’t wrong to be high on their newest class. Ultimately, if 2020’s class can live up to the high praise they’ve received, Dave Caldwell and Doug Marrone should be able to keep their jobs heading into next year.

Poll: How do you feel about the Jags’ selection of Florida CB C.J. Henderson?

So how do you all feel about the Jags’ selections of Florida CB C.J. Henderson?

With the No. 9 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected cornerback C.J. Henderson out of Florida.

The 6-foot-1, 204-pound cornerback ran a 4.39 at the Scouting Combine back in February. The Jaguars were in desperate need of corner help after trading Pro-Bowl pair Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye earlier this year.

Henderson established himself this year as an elite man-coverage corner and will be looking to come in and contribute as a true number one in coverage from day one.

With three of the top tier elite offensive linemen and no wide receivers taken at the time, how do you feel about the Jaguars’ selection of the former Gator?

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Watch: All of Tre Herndon’s pass breakups, interceptions from 2019

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered 2019 with arguably the best cornerback duo in the game, but it was only a matter of weeks before that changed. After starting one game in A.J. Bouye’s place Week 2, second-year corner, Tre Herdon, was called on again …

The Jacksonville Jaguars entered 2019 with arguably the best cornerback duo in the game, but it was only a matter of weeks before that changed. After starting one game in A.J. Bouye’s place Week 2, second-year corner, Tre Herdon, was called on again Week 4 with Jalen Ramsey feuding with the front office and remained there until the season’s end.

After that, Ramsey was traded and Herndon knew there was a grand opportunity ahead of and took advantage of it. He showed growth and promise throughout the process and accumulated 55 tackles, three picks, and 13 pass breakups.

Like Gardner Minshew II, Herndon’s growth throughout 2019 likely will get him a starting role in 2020 and the Jags may find a gem. Before we get to that point though, here are his highlights from 2019:

Yannick Ngakoue says Jalen Ramsey wasn’t crazy for his stance against Jags organization

Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue is seemingly growing frustrated with his current situation as he remains on the team’s roster under the non-exclusive franchise tag. After expressing that he didn’t want a long-term deal earlier in …

Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue is seemingly growing frustrated with his current situation as he remains on the team’s roster under the non-exclusive franchise tag. After expressing that he didn’t want a long-term deal earlier in the month, he reiterated those statements Tuesday by saying the organization was preventing him from taking care of his family and suggesting that both sides move on.

The 25 year old pass-rusher didn’t stop there, however, and took to Instagram to back his former teammate, Jalen Ramsey, who was traded last October. With Ramsey having issues with the organization, too, Ngakoue stated that Ramsey’s stance against the Jags organization was justified because he knew the truth about their front office.

As many can recall, Ramsey’s saga with the Jags started after a verbal altercation with Doug Marrone Week 2 when the Jags were playing the Houston Texans. That led to an interaction with then front office leader Tom Coughlin in which Ramsey says he was disrespected. Long story short, things got nasty and Ramsey demanded a trade, which resulted in the Los Angeles Rams picking him up for two first-round picks.

The Jags made an attempt to extend Ngakoue in July through a short-term deal, but according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, those negotiations ended abruptly. That led to Ngakoue taking a similar stance to Ramsey towards the organization, so it appears his mind might be set on sitting out if he isn’t traded.

With the draft coming up late next month, interest in Ngakoue should intensify and the Jags may be able to get another first-round pick for this year of next. In the meantime, it appears they will continue to take offers as none of them have seemingly wowed the Jags.

Rams’ elimination from playoffs ensures Jags a top-20 pick in 2020

The Rams have been eliminated from the playoffs and that’s a goo thing for the Jags who have their 2020 first round selection.

The Los Angeles Rams fell to the San Francisco 49ers Saturday night, which resulted in them being eliminated from the playoffs. With the Jacksonville Jaguars having their first-round for the 2020 NFL Draft, the loss came as huge news for the Jags because it now ensures that the pick will be a top-20 selection.

As most are aware, the Jags got the Rams’ first-round selections for 2020-21 (plus more) as a result of the Jalen Ramsey trade. While it would’ve been nice to keep the All-Pro, many thought the Rams may end up in the postseason so the pick is one that will have more value than initially predicted. That’s certainly a good thing for the Jags, who have a bunch of needs and will be rebuilding in 2020.

When looking at some of the mocks on the web, the 2020 first-rounder given to the Jags by the Rams may be a spot where Alabama offensive lineman Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood are available, or perhaps Louisiana State cornerback Kristian Fulton amongst several other notables.