There are many talented players across the NFL currently holding out of offseason activities, primarily for contract reasons. Heck, even a rookie is trying this tactic and he hasn't even played a down yet, something that has Bengals fans enraged with Shemar Stewart.
While there aren't any Tampa Bay Buccaneers players holding out, the team could benefit thanks to a situation not far from home. This is the time of year when trades are likely to come to fruition if the contract disputes can’t be resolved, which has been the way everyone expects Jalen Ramsey's situation in Miami to end.
David Helman, an NFL reporter at Fox Sports, recently linked each minicamp holdout across the league to a perfect trade partner — and for Jalen Ramsey of the Miami Dolphins, he pointed to the Buccaneers, viewing Ramsey as the potential finishing touch on a championship-caliber roster in Tampa Bay.
“The Buccaneers have the cap space, and their roster looks primed for another run at the NFC South title. Personally, I don’t think they’re far off from being real-deal contenders to win the entire conference,” wrote Helman. “Yes, Tampa Bay did spend two big picks at cornerback during the draft, but wouldn’t it be exciting to have a player like Ramsey to mentor them at least for the 2025 season?”
Buccaneers trading for Jalen Ramsey could solidify their Super Bowl chances
Adding a highly-decorated veteran like Ramsey is certainly intriguing at face value, but the Buccaneers might not have room for him in the cornerback room going into this season. The front office drafted two cornerbacks on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish, and the team is expecting significant contributions from both players during their rookie seasons.
Unless Tampa Bay were to include Jamel Dean as part of the return package to Miami, adding Ramsey could be both redundant and expensive, and would ultimately take away playing time from the younger cornerbacks that the organization invested in.
The team could work around this potential surplus at the cornerback position by exploring a position change that could prove to benefit Ramsey at this stage of his career.
Ramsey played a bit of safety during his time at Florida State University, and offers the versatility that Bowles values in his defensive backs. Having Ramsey available to play both cornerback and safety would immediately raise the floor of the secondary, and also ensure that the Buccaneers don’t find themselves in a similar situation to last year, when the injury bug bit and the team was quite literally running out of NFL caliber defensive backs.
The franchise pulled off a similar maneuver with Hall of Famer Rondé Barber at the end of his 16-year career. When Barber's speed and coverage skills began to decline as he aged, he maintained his football IQ and tackling ability, which made him an effective safety. Ramsey could soon find himself in a similar stage of his career, and he has the tools to be a truly elite safety.
It’s fair to question how realistic a trade for Ramsey is, considering the front office already overhauled the secondary this offseason and appears satisifed with the depth. But on paper, it’s easy to see why Tampa Bay was named as the perfect fit for Ramsey. The move would immediately make the Buccaneers a better team entering 2025 and if the price is right, why not pull the trigger on a player as proven as Ramsey?
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