As OTAs kick off in Allen Park on May 28, the Detroit Lions' revamped secondary is something fans will be keeping an eye on. This offseason, Detroit signed former New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed to a three-year deal worth $45 million. Reed's addition to the roster serves as a replacement for Carlton Davis and provides another solid outside corner next to Terrion Arnold.
That said, Detroit has the possibility to improve its secondary before the season starts by trading for Miami Dolphins star Jalen Ramsey.
On Tuesday, Ramsey took to X [formerly known as Twitter] and simply tweeted out the number 5. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald quoted the post and added more context. Jackson said, " Five is Jalen Ramsey's number; the number of days before June 1 (when trading him drops his 2025 Dolphins dead money cap hit by $18 M) and also precisely the number of Sears stores that remain open east of California (not kidding). Unclear which, if any, he's referencing,"
While a Jalen Ramsey trade seems unlikely for Detroit, anything is possible.
Potential Lions Target Jalen Ramsey's Trade Buzz on the Rise Again
While some of Jackson's post is meant as a joke, Ramsey's trade rumors are not. Earlier this offseason, reports confirmed that both the 30-year-old All-Pro and Miami had mutual interest in parting ways. Despite this, the two parties have yet to get a deal done.
Throughout his career, Ramsey has proved to be a versatile player. In his younger days, he was a dominant outside cornerback. However, in recent seasons, Ramsey has shifted to playing safety full-time and has proven to be good at that spot, too. The star defensive back has also been placed in the slot sparingly throughout his career.
That is why it's not surprising that he is garnering a lot of interest even with his age.
For Detroit, trading for Ramsey would provide a plethora of opportunities. First, they can have him slide in at safety and haveBrain Branch play slot cornerback. As a rookie, Branch's main role was the slot cornerback. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded an 83.6 grade in run defense, a 63.9 tackling grade, a 68.9 pass rush grade, a 76.0 coverage grade, and a 78.0 overall grade.
It's important to note that his second-best game as a rookie came at safety. Still, Branch proved he can be a solid slot cornerback.
The other option would be to play Ramsey in the slot. Though this would be more risky given his age and deteriorating speed. Trading for Ramsey would increase the Lions' chances of winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history in 2025.
Nevertheless, a trade of this caliber seems unlikely at this point.