It appears that the 2025 season will be one of change for the Miami Dolphins. After the retirement of veteran left tackle Terron Armstead, speculation persists about the team’s willingness to trade star wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier also revealed recently, during a press conference, that the team was looking to trade Jalen Ramsey. Seemingly confused by the direction the Dolphins are headed in, former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson questioned the decision on social media.
Chad Johnson Questions Dolphins Regarding Jalen Ramsey
The foundations of Miami’s quest for a Super Bowl appear to be showing cracks. Hill’s relationship with the team is, at best, fractured; the Dolphins lost a team leader in Armstead, and now Ramsey will soon be gone.
The Dolphins made the playoffs in each of Mike McDaniel’s first two seasons in Miami, but slumped to a losing season in 2024 after failing to cope with injuries to their quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa missed four games due to a concussion and then missed the final two weeks of the season with a hip injury.
The team went 2-4 without their starting quarterback, a significant drop-off from their winning 6-5 record with him on the field. The Dolphins are a playoff team when Tagovailoa is healthy, making the move to trade Ramsey a puzzling one for some, including Johnson. Taking to social media, Johnson shared a video of Grier’s announcement, with the caption, “What are we doing?”
What are we doing❔ https://t.co/Dex3sQ5hBr
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco)
Why Are the Dolphins Moving On from Ramsey?
From a purely footballing standpoint, trading Ramsey would appear to be a move in the wrong direction for Miami. The team still has an exciting group of skill players and a serviceable, if unremarkable, defense. If Tagovailoa can stay healthy and the team can hit on some early draft picks, it looks well-positioned to make the playoffs again in 2025.
Grier’s comments pointed to internal discussions within the organization and conversations with Ramsey and his representation. It is unclear, though, whether those “discussions” with Ramsey were contract negotiations or the team simply informing him of its desire to move on.
The seven-time Pro Bowler is currently guaranteed $24.235 million in 2025, in addition to his $6.745 pro-rated signing bonus. Beyond 2025, though, Ramsey has no guaranteed salary, and he would likely want that issue addressed before he gets any older. Ramsey started all 17 games for Miami last season and, at 31 years old, will likely never again have more leverage than he does right now.
The team’s unwillingness to pay up for its star cornerback, Armstead’s retirement, and the speculation surrounding Hill all point to a rebuild in Miami. There’s no need to completely tear it down, though, with plenty of talent still on the Dolphins roster. Miami could enter the 2025 season as a competitive team if it can successfully navigate its offseason obstacles.
