Getty Stephen Ross, team owner of the Miami Dolphins, speaks at a news conference.
The Miami Dolphins may not be done cleaning house just yet.
As if things couldn’t get any worse for the floundering franchise, the Dolphins have granted permission to their 2018 first-round draft pick, Minkah Fitzpatrick, to seek a trade according to Chris Mortensen and Cameron Wolfe of ESPN. This comes following the team’s 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.
Mortensen goes so far as to report that a “number of teams” have been in contact with Fitzpatrick’s agent, Joel Segel.
“Former first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick has received permission from the Miami Dolphins to seek a trade, according to multiple league sources.
Joel Segal, the agent for the defensive back, has been in contact with a number of teams. Fitzpatrick, the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft, is unhappy with playing multiple positions, sources said.”
The report stresses that the Dolphins are not actively shopping Fitzpatrick — they’ve merely given the young defensive back permission to seek a trade from another NFL team.
Follow the Heavy on NFL Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!
Dolphins’ Asking Price Too High for Minkah Fitzpatrick
It is worth noting, however, that the Dolphins have a high asking price for the 22-year-old former national college football champion. They’re expecting a first-round draft pick out of a trade swap for Fitzpatrick — something that teams aren’t likely to offer for the second-year defensive back.
Fitzpatrick was drafted with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and excelled as a slot corner. However, under new head coach Brian Flores, he’s been asked to play a number of positions — most of which have the 6-foot-1, 202-pound defensive back out of his typical role.
Mortensen reports that he’s uncomfortable playing a variety of roles, as he was asked to do against the Ravens.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is Unhappy With His Role in Miami
The ESPN story provided a little bit of backstory to Fitzpatrick having an issue playing a variety of roles in Flores’ new defensive scheme.
During Miami’s joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in August, Fitzpatrick’s mother, Melissa, mentioned on Twitter that he was being incorrectly used at strong safety to suit other players’ skill sets.
Fitzpatrick confirmed that he agreed with his mother’s thoughts after that practice, saying, “She feels very strongly. She’s not wrong. Coach has asked me to do something right now. I got to do what they ask me to do. If we have to have some discussions in the future, we’ll have those discussions.
“I’m not 215 pounds, 220 pounds. So playing in the box isn’t best suited for me, but that’s what Coach is asking me to do.”
A source also stressed that they doubt the Dolphins are able to acquire a first-round pick in exchange for Fitzpatrick. Miami may have had increased expectations for assets considering they were able to acquire two first-round picks and a second-round pick for Laremy Tunsil — a player who had never even made a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro team in his career. That’s kind of similar to the situation with Fitzpatrick here.
The former University of Alabama standout had 80 tackles, nine pass deflections and two interceptions in 11 games started during his rookie campaign.
Despite more trade speculation surrounding the franchise, Fitzpatrick is expected to play in Week 2 when they host the New England Patriots.
READ NEXT: Antonio Brown Practices With Patriots for First Time [Watch]