If the Miami Dolphins are making a mistake with Jalen Ramsey, it is the fact that they excused him from mandatory practices last week.
Ramsey was paid a guaranteed bonus in March, shortly after it was revealed that he and the Dolphins would part ways at some point. That point has not arrived yet. Ramsey stayed away from the offseason work, both mandatory and voluntary. Miami's mistake was not fining him.
Now, that long period of the offseason where there will be no work or team activities has arrived. This is the time when players scatter, coaches take quick vacations before returning to watch tape, and Chris Grier will make more phone calls.
The fact is, the likelihood of Ramsey being traded anytime soon is a bit thinner at this point. That will change in the weeks and days before training camp starts.
Dolphins are playing a risky game with Jalen Ramsey
Grier doesn't have to take a massive hit on the salary cap right now. He can wait. So far, the hang-up has been Ramsey's contract. Grier has no one to blame but himself, but Ramsey can't trade himself, so no matter what he finds in his searches, the Dolphins can simply sit and let the offers change.
The Dolphins will lose money regardless of the outcome, but they can recoup some by fining Ramsey and not paying him. If he doesn't return to the team for camp (which he won't), he can start planning to sit out the season and lose money.
Grier knows this, and based on what we have seen so far with the lack of forward progress, it may be in his best interest now to play a little harder with suitors. At some point, Ramsey will be moved, and the Dolphins will eat a lot of the salary, but the chances of getting a better return in the trade will go up if camps are in progress and another team realizes they need help.
The other part of this equation is not something the Dolphins have to do immediately, which is to sign his replacement. More importantly, they can add the player without having to trade Ramsey first; that's a crucial aspect of this.