Could the Jacksonville Jaguars convince Jalen Ramsey to stay?
With a trade request made public, the assumption is that Thursday night's victory was the last time the star corner is seen in a Jags jersey.
Friday is a pivotal day. Will a franchise make Jacksonville an offer it can't refuse -- somewhere in the two-first-round-picks range?
Or perhaps owner Shad Khan, fresh off the high of Thursday night's win in his home stadium with Minshew Mania feeding the intoxication, will step in and demand his team brass hold on to the young star.
What might it take to repair the damage that led Ramsey to request a trade? Money. Lots of money.
Perhaps the man who arrived in Duval in a Brinks truck for this year's training camp could be convinced to stay in Jacksonville if the Jags give him a new contract that includes a massive pay increase. Would the Jags change course from their current trade efforts and pivot to contract negotiations?
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Good Morning Football the owner would be comfortable making Ramsey the highest-paid player at his position.
"Also worth noting that owner Shad Khan loves Ramsey, would be willing, from what I understand, to pay him and make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL as soon as he possibly can," Rapoport said. "There is a lot of love here. So, for the Jacksonville Jaguars to part with Ramsey they're going to have to be convinced, overwhelmed that it's the right move."
The question is whether Tom Coughlin agrees with Khan's Ramsey love, whether the owner would step in, whether the damage is irreparable, or whether a team makes the Jags a godfather offer they can't refuse.
Ramsey refused to talk about the trade request after Thursday's 20-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.
His teammates, however, spoke as though the situation in the locker room is still salvageable.
"I don't know what's going to happen, but he told us he is out there on the field rocking with us," fellow corner A.J. Bouye said. "We knew it was going to be a different type of energy in the stadium with the fans, but he maintained his focus and stayed with us. ...
"He told me, 'We will see what happens and just keep rocking until then,' so we do not know what is going to happen. Jalen is more than a teammate to me, he is also like a brother to me on and off the field."
Added Calais Campbell: "If something happens, then it's going to happen. I have no control on what happens to him. I feel like when he is on the team we are a whole lot better, but I trust whatever happens and hope we can be the best we can be."
The Jaguars are certainly better this year with Ramsey than draft picks. Whether they're better in the long term after the situation shakes out remains to be determined.
