The New York Jets have added a new foundation block in their desperate rebuild after making a major trade with the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins have traded Minkah Fitzpatrick to their AFC East rivals, the New York Jets, according to multiple reports. In return, Miami has received a 2026 seventh-round pick.
New York will sign the safety to a three-year, $40 million deal, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The move sees the Miami Dolphins have part ways with another star, just hours after releasing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa amid a mass offseason clear-out.
As a new roster begins to take form under new head coach Jeff Hafley in Miami, Miami was believed to have opened the door to trade negotiations over Fitzpatrick earlier in the offseason.
The Dolphins had reportedly been shopping Fitzpatrick for the past several days as the new league year officially begins on Wednesday.
The New York Jets traded for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins
Fitzpatrick only returned to Miami last offseason when the Dolphins traded for him in a move that sent tight end Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh. However, his second stint with the franchise has now ended prematurely once again.
In 2018, the Dolphins used the 11th overall pick to select Fitzpatrick in the first round of the draft. However, Fitzpatrick only played one season in Miami before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019 amid yet another rebuild for the Dolphins.
The Dolphins had already begun a mass clearout down in Miami, parting ways with a number of big names, including Tyreek Hill and Tagovailoa.
Earlier on Monday, the franchise announced that it was releasing embattled quarterback Tagovailoa.
The 28-year-old, who only signed a four-year, $212million contract in July 2024, endured a nightmare 2025 campaign as Miami went 7-10 and missed out on the playoffs once again.
Before the season was out, then-head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa after he threw a career-high 15 interceptions and recorded fewer than 200 passing yards on eight occasions, with rookie Quinn Ewers replacing him for the final three games.
And following their miserable year, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has announced that they are going their separate ways – which will result in a staggering $99.2m dead cap hit for the team next season.
Meanwhile, controversial NFL star Hill, who won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs back in February 2020, was axed by the Dolphins last month.
The news sparked uncertainty over the NFL future of Hill, who turns 32 on March 1 and is currently recovering from a dislocated knee and torn ACL.
Hill spent four seasons with the Dolphins but his 2025 campaign ended on September 29 when he suffered the serious knee injury against the Jets.
Not long after, the receiver refused to rule out quitting the NFL but shortly after his release last month, he promised that ‘The Cheetah’ will be back.
More to follow.
