MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey — at least for now — might be the most expensive scout team player in all of football.
In his first practice since mangling his knee the second day of training camp, Ramsey’s job in team drills Wednesday was to help give Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ first-team offense a look.
It was a good way for him to get in some work without disrupting the team’s preparation for the Eagles.
“[He] looked like he was getting back to it,” said Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker. “Of course, there’s going to be some rust. He’s been out a few weeks. But he’s one of the great players to play this game, so he’s going to be alright.”
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What’s Next for Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey?
Beyond this week, Ramsey’s story is unwritten.
If he has no setbacks, expect his workload to increase. The most optimistic scenario is Ramsey makes his Dolphins debut against the Kansas City Chiefs in Germany on Nov. 5.
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“One of the big things that you learn in OTAs, as a team, for you to be successful, you have to really, really be mindful and deliberate with how you practice without pads in general,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday.
“So I think our team does a good job of that in general, and so if he wasn’t — especially as a defensive player — if you’re not fully cleared medically, we can recreate stuff on the side, but we can’t allow him to practice. So he is cleared for all movements except for offensive touchdowns versus him.”
Given that Ramsey has beaten basically every timeline that he’s been given since injuring his knee, Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio wisely already has a plan for how he’ll use the dynamic defensive back.
Expect it to look a little like how the Rams used Ramsey — largely as their STAR (third corner/weakside linebacker hybrid). But Fangio has his own plans too.
#Dolphins DC Vic Fangio said he’s never seen any player attack their rehab like CB Jalen Ramsey. pic.twitter.com/VTCscP2fiz
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) October 19, 2023
“Any time you have a great player at any position, it will affect how you call the game,” Fangio said Thursday. “He fits that bill. Hopefully, we get him back sooner rather than later.
“He’s done a great job with his rehab. He’s attacked it like I’ve not seen many people attack a rehab. Sometimes those great players just have that little something in their DNA that they heal faster. I think he’s one of those guys. But it’s also due to the work he’s put in.
“Anxious to get him back, but we have to make sure he’s ready to play before we put him out there.”