Dolphins get Ramsey; Rams get TE

The Rams are trading CB Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins for a third-round pick in this year's NFL Draft and TE Hunter Long. L.A. is obviously clearing salary amid what looks like a necessary rebuild. Ramsey is also coming off a down season that included allowing a career-high 98.6 passer rating in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. But he wasn't terrible and doesn't turn 29 until late October. So there's room to bounce back. And getting Ramsey can only help a Miami defense that missed CB Byron Jones for all of last season after Achilles' tendon surgery. Long is the sneaky fantasy move here. It's not great that he caught just one pass across two seasons since arriving as a third-round pick. But the current Miami regime didn't draft him. And if Long were just a throw-in here, we'd bet on the Rams targeting a different position. The team still has TEs Tyler Higbee and Brycen Hopkins under contract. We're guessing L.A. views Long as an upside player. He delivered an elite-level 8.61 Relative Athletic Score as a draft prospect. That followed 89 catches and 14.6 yards per reception across three seasons at Boston College. Long looks worth stashing in dynasty leagues over the two years left on his rookie contract. Higbee's deal runs out after 2023.

The Dolphins expect to have CB Jalen Ramsey in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Patriots, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. That will make for a much quicker return than initially expected following his meniscus repair. Original reports had Ramsey expected to be out until December. It's tough to know whether the veteran corner will be ready for full playing time right away, as well as just how much impact he'll have on the Miami defense. But his return can only help a defense that ranks 24th in pass DVOA so far. Don't bet on Ramsey being an IDP factor right away, but he could get into deeper lineups after the Week 10 bye.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey is "far ahead of schedule" in recovering from his August knee surgery. Ramsey could reportedly start practicing as early as this coming week. Pelissero says the team plans to "ramp him up gradually." But getting onto the field anytime soon would put Ramsey on track to beat his initial return expectation by a lot. We'll watch for more on his return.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport updated the reports on Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey's left knee injury. He says Ramsey is expected to get a full meniscus repair, which would keep him out until December "if all goes well." This will be confirmed (or altered) at his Friday surgery. If you play in an IDP league where CBs are relevant, then you should treat Ramsey as though he's not playing this season. We've knocked his projection down to three games in our IDP rankings. Cam Smith and Kader Kohou look like candidates to compete for the vacated starting role opposite Xavien Howard.

Update: Friday's surgery confirmed this path. Ramsey had the full repair and is expected to be out until December, according to Rapoport.

Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey left the field late in Thursday's practice with a left knee injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Ramsey will have surgery on the knee and is expected to "miss the start of the regular season." The corner's ACL is reportedly "intact," however. We'll watch for more on just how long Ramsey will be out.

Update: NFL Network reports that Ramsey is expected to miss at least 6-8 weeks for the meniscus injury. "Doctors will have to determine whether the ligament can be repaired or must be removed, which would increase the cornerback's recovery timeline," the report says.

After announcing Friday that CB Jalen Ramsey would start training camp on the PUP, the Rams changed their mind Sunday. “We ended up not putting Ramsey on the PUP as a result of doctors cleared him in a limited fashion that enables him to participate in a lot of the jog throughs — the above the neck stuff, and to be able to have him out here with his teammates with all the different things that we ask of him,” HC Sean McVay said Sunday, per Pro Football Talk. That sounds like Ramsey isn't quite all the way back from his June shoulder surgery. But he's likely close enough that we can assume he'll be ready for the regular-season opener.