Don’t get me wrong; Jalen Ramsey would absolutely make the Eagles a better team. I just wonder if he’s the right guy for a Jim Schwartz defense.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ cornerback wants out of Duuuuuuval, reportedly requesting a trade after this past weekend’s loss to the Texans. Whenever something like this happens, we immediately say, “time for Howie to get on the phone,” as we then come up with possible scenarios to bring a disgruntled Pro Bowler into a new situation.

Ramsey is a fantastic player, no doubt, but one of the reported reasons he wants out is because of schematic differences with his defensive coordinator:

Rapoport also noted that Ramsey’s issues with the organization stem from how he’s being used on defense. Ramsey has made a living out of being one of the best pure cover corners in the NFL; through the first two games of the season, defensive coordinator Todd Wash has had Ramsey play zone, an obvious difference from the man-to-man scheme he shines in.

Jalen Ramsey is not a guy who wants to sit 10 yards deep in off coverage. He wants to be up on the line, bumping and running with receivers in close quarters.

Here’s a good example of a coverage that allows him to be at his best. He’s at the bottom of the screen:

Press coverage with a single-high safety. Ramsey is with DeAndre Hopkins right at the line of scrimmage and stays with him every step of the way. Hopkins had five catches for 40 yards on Sunday, compared to a week one performance in which he had eight snags for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

So it’s something to think about. The Eagles play heavy zone while relying on the defensive line to generate pressure. Jalen Ramsey, I highly doubt, is interested in coming here to give a ten-yard cushion.

That’s not saying it couldn’t work, because he’s an elite player and could probably excel in all sorts of setups, given time, but considering that the price is going to be steep, you do have to consider whether he fits the Eagles schematically.