Don't blame Jaguars' Jalen Ramsey for publicly squawking about his contract

Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars made it clear to Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey that the team would not negotiate an extension to his rookie contract with two years remaining on the deal.

Ramsey is clearly not thrilled with their refusal. On an Instagram Live discussion with teammate Leonard Fournette, he showed resentment and an unwillingness to give the Jaguars any discount when negotiations presumably take place next year.

"Next year, especially after I ball, they're going to come to me, 'Hey, you know what, hey we want to holler at you...' (Whistles). That number is going to be so ungodly," Ramsey says in the video. "That number going to be so ungodly, they're just going to look (gives wide-eyed stare).

"They're going to say, 'Oh, god, we can't get no discount? 20 percent off?' Nuh-uh (shakes head). I'm going to tell them last year y'all could have got that discount. This year? Nuh-uh (shakes head rapidly). I need all that."

This sort of player saber-rattling would be of concern in normal circumstances, but especially in an off-season in which two of the league’s most outspoken players -- Odell Beckham and Antonio Brown -- landed on new teams. Players of Ramsey’s caliber have more ability and more methods to extricate themselves from less remunerative circumstances, and can express more open dissatisfaction with their situation, and receive more sympathy.

But perhaps Jacksonville’s reluctance to begin negotiations now, beyond knowing the rookie contract structure gives them immediate leverage, speaks to where they are as a franchise. After advancing to the AFC Championship Game, and nearly winning it in 2017, the Jaguars finished 5-11 last season. 

Jacksonville finally moved on from Blake Bortles, replacing him with veteran Nick Foles, who had an incredible post-season run with the Eagles two years ago. But there’s still quite a bit of doubt about whether he can have sustained success as a starting quarterback. Until he proves otherwise, it’s hard not to think of the decision to bring Foles on as something of a stopgap move.

By going with a veteran, even one who did recently capture a ring, the Jaguars believe their time is now. Foles’ guaranteed money runs past 2019, but if this season is a dud, the team will have a much better idea where it stands. Why invest big in Ramsey now if a year from now they know everything is lost and they’re going to have to blow it up?

These calculations are always top of mind for teams, so it’s rare that they will try to work out an extension before the final year. Unfortunately, especially for rookies who produce at a superstar level right away, that means being punished, stuck in limbo, and hoping your health holds out for a few more years. 

So it makes sense for Ramsey, or any athlete in his position, to press the issue as publicly as possible. Athletes have shown that owning their voice and knowing their value works. Ramsey so far hasn’t shown a desire to sit out, but any awareness that he is being compensated beneath his market value serves him well.

By noting the Jaguars wouldn’t do right by him in terms of security, he doesn’t have to entertain the notion of taking any discounts in negotiations next year. If he hadn’t made this display, it would be easier for the team and media to suggest that he should. Because they have so few chances to change their earning potential, whereas teams can cut most players whenever, players must be mindful of ways they can tweak the process. Ramsey understands that, and like players of his status, he can do something about it.