It’s no secret that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to upgrade their group of outside corners heading into next season. In 2024, a lack of production and availability from the starting secondary proved costly for the Bucs, who simply didn’t have enough quality depth on the outside to remain competitive against quality NFL offenses.

With the NFL Draft set to commence in less than two weeks, the expectation is that the Buccaneers will look to address the cornerback position early and often come draft weekend. But what if the Buccaneers could solve their cornerback depth in one foul swoop without necessarily having to use so much of their precious draft capital to do it?

On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport reported that the Miami Dolphins were preparing to explore trade options fore their superstar cornerback, Jalen Ramsey.

The former Florida State Seminoles standout, who was drafted 5th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, has a long list of accolades, including three First-Team All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl appearances, in addition to the Super Bowl ring he earned with the Rams in 2021. However, despite his immense talent, the 30-year-old has already played on three different NFL teams, with a fourth likely to come in the near future.

It’s important to note, however, that despite not being the top-tier shutdown corner he was earlier in his career, Ramsey has maintained a steady level of play with the Dolphins. A change of scenery could potentially invigorate the versatile DB’s killer instinct, which may have been lying dormant over the past few seasons in Miami.

Although Ramsey would cost the Bucs just over $21 million this season (in addition to whatever trade capital is needed to acquire him) the 6’1″, 208-pound corner would fit the prototype that Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers covet at the position. Ramsey is also a proven winner, with experience succeeding in a variety of different defensive schemes.

Before you scoff at the money, it should be noted that former Buccaneer Carlton Davis is earning an average of $18 million per year over the next 3 seasons with the New England Patriots. In Ramsey’s case, the Bucs likely wouldn’t need to give up all that much draft compensation to acquire him in a trade. PewterReport’s talented cap analyst Josh Queipo expects a 7th-round draft pick to be enough to get a deal done for the veteran defensive back in a trade.

Should Jason Licht and the Bucs brass choose to pursue a trade for Ramsey, it would represent a real urgency to address the cornerback position. That said, Jason Licht’s preferred avenue has always been to draft and develop players.

Whether or not Tampa Bay would seriously consider making a move for Ramsey is unknown. The decision would likely depend on a couple key factors, includinghow they feel about this year’s draft class and how they feel about Ramsey’s ability at this point of his career.

Never say never, but when considering Jalen Ramsey as a potential trade target for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it seems unlikely. The Bucs have had great success drafting and developing talent at the cornerback position over the past seven years with key starters like Jamel Dean, Carlton Davis and Zyon McCollum representing some of the most successful examples. As a result, it’s more likely that Jason Licht and his staff will opt to stick with their draft and develop formula in order to address their obvious need at the cornerback position.