The Arizona Cardinals recently faced tough news: starting cornerback is expected to miss the entire 2025 season. This leaves the Cardinals searching for a new starting cornerback.
Although the team has drafted Will Johnson and Denzel Burke, and last year’s rookie Max Melton showed promise, the group still lacks veteran leadership. As a result, the front office will likely look to add an experienced cornerback to stabilize the position.
Free agency is still an option, but with Murphy-Bunting expected to be the team’s top cornerback, no available veteran quite fills that role perfectly. This situation might push the Cardinals toward making a bolder, more aggressive move.
Having come just two games short of the playoffs last season, Arizona now has a revamped defense and a dynamic offense. A strategic addition at cornerback could be the key to pushing them over the edge into postseason contention.
A reliable No. 1 cornerback is essential in a division loaded with playmakers like Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Brandon Aiyuk. Luckily for Arizona, one of the league’s top veteran corners, Jalen Ramsey of the Miami Dolphins, could be available via trade. Such a deal would benefit both teams and could provide the Cardinals with the shutdown presence they desperately need.
A potential trade could send Jalen Ramsey and a third-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for wide receiver Michael Wilson and cornerback Sterling Thomas V. While it might not be a flashy headline grabber on sports talk shows, this deal would meaningfully boost Miami’s roster for next season.
For Arizona, Ramsey offers an immediate upgrade in both skill and leadership. He can shut down elite receivers and help develop their young secondary, including Johnson, Burke, and Melton. The extra third-round pick also fits Arizona’s longer-term plan, as the team seems poised to be a serious contender within the next couple of years.
Miami would be trading away a player who, while still productive, has become more expendable. Ramsey demonstrated he’s still at a high level last season, including a key interception against Buffalo rookie Keon Coleman in Week 9.
In return, the Dolphins would acquire two promising young players.
Michael Wilson, a third-year wide receiver, caught 47 passes for 548 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. He’s shown steady growth and could flourish in Mike McDaniel’s offense. Playing alongside stars like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Wilson has a strong chance to break out in the coming season.
Sterling Thomas V is another rising talent for Miami. After a career-best season with 47 tackles, six pass breakups, and a forced fumble, he’s shown steady improvement and could be a key sleeper in 2025—filling a crucial role in Miami’s often inconsistent secondary.
On Arizona’s side, the team has enough depth at wide receiver to handle losing Wilson. Marvin Harrison Jr. is poised for a big sophomore leap, Zay Jones provides valuable veteran leadership, and Xavier Weaver, a second-year receiver from Colorado, is back at full health after missing much of 2024.
For Miami, this trade tackles two key needs: bolstering cornerback depth and boosting wide receiver production, all while moving a player who might not fit into their long-term vision. Ramsey’s tenure in South Florida seems to be nearing its end, making this a potentially smart, mutually beneficial deal. If the Dolphins want to seriously gear up for another playoff run, now is the perfect moment to reach out to the Cardinals and get the deal done.