The Miami Dolphins have been looking to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey since April. Ramsey is still with the team; however, he’s not at mandatory minicamp this week, nor does head coach Mike McDaniel expect him to be there.

Because Ramsey’s absence is excused, he will not be fined.

McDaniel was asked Tuesday if he’s surprised it’s taken this long to trade the three-time, first-team All-Pro corner.

“I don’t give a s*** about what I feel,” McDaniel said in a news conference. 

“I don’t even really go down that road of how do I feel about it. My job is to react and control my controllables and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately.”

McDaniel continued: “The business is business. The opportunity that business does provide in the offseason is a rep to the team about handling noise. What do I define noise as? Noise is things that don’t have to do with what actually you’re there to do and you should be focused on doing because you’ll be held accountable to do.”

The Dolphins acquired Ramsey in March 2023 via a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, who received a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long in exchange. Ramsey missed seven games in his debut season with Miami but still made the Pro Bowl. He then signed a three-year, $72.3 million extension, which, at the time, made Ramsey the NFL’s highest-paid corner.

Last season, though, Ramsey’s play declined while he turned 30. He missed the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2019, as he gave up a reception 70.8% of the time he was targeted and recorded a 19.4% missed tackle rate, according to Pro Football Focus, both of which were career worsts for him. Ramsey finished the 2024 campaign with 60 total tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions.

Long regarded as a top-flight corner, first at Florida State and then in the NFL, Ramsey has piled up 24 interceptions and 108 passes defended in his nine-year pro career. 

In April, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier told reporters during a pre-draft news conference that Ramsey didn’t ask to be traded but that the decision to shop him was a mutual one.

Ramsey wasn’t the only top Dolphins player not participating in minicamp Tuesday. Tight end Jonnu Smith, who is vying for a new contract after a breakout 2024 season, also didn’t show up.

His absence, on the other hand, was not excused, according to McDaniel.

“Business in offseasons allows you to speak to your team about how the focus of noise is a constant battle that, if you’re successful, you have to win,” McDaniel said Tuesday.