Jalen Ramsey is focused on one thing and one thing only: playing football. He made it clear to reporters earlier this month that he’s not at all concerned about his expiring contract, which will end at the end of the 2020 season.
His actions are backing up his words, too, as the world saw on Tuesday night’s episode of “Hard Knocks.”
One of the highlights from Episode 2 was Ramsey’s house hunt, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his search for a home in Los Angeles. After being traded to the Rams midseason in 2019, it was hard for Ramsey to lay down roots in his new city, so he’s waited until now to do it.
Could that be because a contract extension is on the horizon? Only his camp and the Rams know the answer to that question, but there’s no doubt Ramsey wants to be in L.A. for the long haul.
“I wouldn’t be wasting my time going to look at homes and on my off-days if I didn’t think I was going to be here for the long-term, even after football. I hope L.A. will be a forever home for me. Kind of like a dream come true,” he said.
Ramsey toured a home that was staged specifically for him, complete with a photo of himself and his kids. The All-Pro corner was laying things out in his mind, too, saying he would “put a little swing set over here for the girls,” and he would “end up putting a pool up here” while standing on the patio.
He’s visibly excited to be in Los Angeles with the Rams, which he made even more evident by saying this: “October 15th, I got traded from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the L.A. Rams. Probably one of the best days of my life.”
The Rams typically get contract extensions done just before the regular season starts, so it’s possible they’ll announce Ramsey’s deal in the coming weeks. The potential for a lower salary cap in 2021 complicates things a bit, but the two sides have been working on an extension since Ramsey arrived in L.A. last October.
It might just be a matter of when, not if.