Minkah Fitzpatrick trade grades for Jets, Dolphins

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Minkah Fitzpatrick trade grades for Jets, Dolphins

Christopher Hennessy, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Mar 9, 2026 ·

4 min read

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The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins connected on a trade involving Minkah Fitzpatrick on Monday . After the deal, Fitzpatrick inked a three-year extension worth $40 million with his hometown squad in New Jersey. Amid a historic playoff drought and a rebuilding season, the Jets have added a three-time first-team All-Pro. How did both sides fare in the trade?

Fitzpatrick started his career with the Dolphins , playing one full season and part of the 2019 campaign before he was traded. He was named first-team All-Pro for the first time in his first year with the Pittsburgh Steelers . Fitzpatrick ended up playing six seasons in the Steel City, tallying up three first-team All-Pros and five Pro Bowl nods. He was traded from Pittsburgh back to the Dolphins before the 2025 season . Now, he is with the Jets.

How did the Dolphins do on this trade? Did the Jets overpay?

The Jets land a talented player

Despite the lack of talent on the Jets roster, they made an expensive veteran addition when they added Fitzpatrick. They only gave up a seventh-round pick in the trade, but will pay Fitzpatrick $40 million over three seasons. After last year's trade deadline fire sale, Darren Mougey needed to accumulate talent this offseason. He started that early on Monday.

The Jets ended last year with Tony Adams and Andre Cisco as their starting safeties. But neither of those players is under contract for the 2026 season. Considering the entire team had zero interceptions last year, improving the secondary is a necessity. While Fitzpatrick's prime is ending, and he does not fit New York's competitive window, getting talented veterans was a necessity for the club this offseason.

The Jets had cap space to spend and did not give up a valuable pick in this deal. They get a Bfor this deal, as it will not change their future, but it didn't cost them a ton. You can't take the cap space with you, so Darren Mougey may as well spend it.

The Dolphins are tearing it down to the studs

Trading Fitzpatrick was not the first significant move the Dolphins made on Monday. They released quarterback Tua Tagovailoa earlier in the day , taking on a historic $99 million dead cap hit. That was a disastrous contract signed by the previous regime that the new regime has to work around. Trading Fitzpatrick was a necessary response to their salary cap disaster.

The Dolphins gave up Jalen Ramsey , Jonnu Smith , and a seventh-round pick to land Fitzpatrick and a fifth-rounder last summer. Now, they have flipped Fitzpatrick out for a seventh-rounder. Considering two different general managers made those two moves, it is impossible to blame new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan for the brutal asset management. It was Sullivan's job just to dump Fitzpatrick and his pending new contract on someone else, which he did.

The Dolphins could be making more trades before the season begins. They are slated to be one of the worst teams in the league as they untangle the disaster Chris Grier left them. That includes a sluggish defense without either Ramsey or Fitzpatrick, and no picks above the fifth round to try to replace them. Sullivan gets a C+for this move

What is next for the Jets and Dolphins?

The Jets have two first-round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, where they could find two blue-chip players for their rebuild. They have a lot of players to replace and no starting quarterback in the room. Look out for a quarterback move next, namely one of Tagovailoa or Kyler Murray .

The Dolphins will keep shedding salary and pushing toward the future this offseason. Could a Jaylen Waddle trade be coming soon? Or will Sullivan try to build around the Alabama product?

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