Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey denies report he’s making early return from meniscus surgery

Jalen Ramsey will reportedly make his Miami Dolphins debut a full month ahead of schedule. Or not.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday that the Dolphins are planning for the All-Pro cornerback’s return on Sunday this week against the New England Patriots, three months after he was pronounced out until December following meniscus surgery.

That would obviously be a massive boost for the 5-2 Dolphins. However, Ramsey poured cold water on the report 15 minutes later, claiming that Schefter was wrong.

Whether or not he plays Sunday, Ramsey does seem to be moving ahead of schedule. He returned to practice last week, opening a 21-day window in which he must be activated to the 53-man roster or be placed on season-ending injured reserve.

If Ramsey doesn’t return against the Patriots, a Nov. 5 date with the Kansas City Chiefs would be his next chance to return. His window to return will end in the week after that.

Ramsey joined the Dolphins last offseason via a trade that sent him over from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long. His Miami tenure went sideways in July, when he sustained a meniscus injury that required surgery. The initial hope was that he would miss only six to eight weeks, but surgeons opted to go for a full meniscus repair during his operation, requiring a much longer layoff.

But not too long.

When healthy, Ramsey remains one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, with six straight Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro selections. His addition was supposed to take the Dolphins’ defense to the next level, and we may be able to see that within a couple weeks.