The Rams gave up the farm for Jalen Ramsey. Two first round picks and a fourth round pick. After Ramsey wanted out of Jacksonville, everything should be sunshine and rainbows now, right? Not so fast! Somebody important thinks that the Jalen Ramsey – Rams relationship may not last too long.
Deion Sanders went on NFL Network after the trade and had this to say:
“One thing is that Jalen is a businessman,” Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who like Ramsey played at Florida State, said on NFL Network. “Secondly, I don’t feel like the Rams are the Rams of old. Thirdly, taxes . . . Taxes in California, the cost of living in California is not feasible to a guy who’s just coming out of Florida. . . I don’t know if this is a situation that’s gonna last over a year. This may be for right now.”
“I wanted to go to Texas,” Sanders said. “No state taxes there, baby.”
Before you scoff at these comments, Deion keeps in close contact with Ramsey. Both men went to Florida State and Deion has tried to be a mentor to Ramsey. When the time comes for the new contract, Ramsey may be hesitant to do business with the Rams. Florida has no state tax. California has a 13 percent state tax. That’s an enormous difference financially.
Ramsey has all the leverage for a new contract. The Rams gave up the farm for him. The highest paid corner in football is Xavien Howard making slightly more than $15 million per year. Ramsey is going to smash that mark. He might even want pass rusher money. What if he asks for Khalil Mack money? He makes $23 million per year. How the hell do the Rams afford all that? They’re already paying 8 players at least 9 million per year. The Jared Goff contract extension is just starting to kick in. Ramsey will want the bank and has the leverage to ask for it. With Deion in his ear, he may ask for even more than the moon and stars because of the state tax.
Speaking of Goff, Ramsey wants to win. Ramsey doesn’t think too fondly of Goff to begin with.
I tend to agree with Deion Sanders. I think there’s a strong chance Ramsey is playing for another team in two years.
