On Monday, the Miami Dolphins dealt cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for three-time first-team All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 pick swap.
The move returns Fitzpatrick to South Beach where he began his NFL career. The Dolphins originally selected Fitzpatrick 11th overall in the 2018 NFL draft.
Miami traded Fitzpatrick to Pittsburgh in September of 2019 after just two games that season for a package that eventually netted 2020 first-rounder Austin Jackson, who is the Dolphins’ starting right tackle.
After sending some shockwaves throughout the NFL, ESPN’s Seth Walder shared his grade of the Dolphins-Steelers blockbuster that brings Fitzpatrick back to where it all started.
Walder raved about the move for Miami, giving the Dolphins’ trade an “A” grade.
The Dolphins had been looking for a taker on Ramsey. I assumed this would involve the Dolphins eating a portion of Ramsey’s guaranteed salary, but they ended up finding a trade partner that took on just about the full freight. Losing Smith isn’t ideal, but the Dolphins’ offense is intended to funnel through Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who each took a step back last season. If all goes as planned for Miami, far more targets should go to the two wideouts again in 2025. And the same analysis on Smith holds here, too: The Dolphins — who are in a far tighter cap situation — didn’t want to overpay the tight end after a career year, and that makes sense.
After losing Jevon Holland in free agency, the Dolphins backfilled the safety position with two new acquisitions: Ashtyn Davis (from the Jets) and Ifeatu Melifonwu (from the Lions), both on cheap deals. In Fitzpatrick, they now have an established high-end safety to replace Holland and get him at essentially the same numbers the Giants paid Holland (and with no guarantees).
To top it all off, Miami gets a late-round draft pick swap in its favor in this deal. Miami wasn’t in an ideal position, having one veteran it needed to trade and another desiring a new contract the team didn’t want to give. But by making this deal with the Steelers, the Dolphins got the most out of the hand they had. – Walder, ESPN.
After an offseason marked by uncertainty with two of its key pieces, the Dolphins now can enter training camp without any lingering questions regarding Jalen Ramsey or Jonnu Smith’s future with the franchise.
In the process, Miami brought in a five-time Pro Bowler to help anchor its back end defensively. And, the Dolphins didn’t wait to replenish the cupboard at tight end.
Miami made another move with the New York Giants, trading for Darren Waller.
Waller last played for the Giants in 2023 when he caught 52 passes for 552 yards and one touchdown in 12 games. He was a Pro Bowler with the Raiders in 2020, catching 107 passes for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns, all of which were career-highs.