The Miami Dolphins’ 2025 season was a rollercoaster for Dolphins fans. First, they started off on the wrong foot as they won only one of their first seven matchups. Next, the team shifted their approach and won five of their next six games. Then, riding a four-game winning streak, they disappointed Dolphins fans as they lost 28-15 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football, which eliminated Miami from playoff contention.
The Pittsburgh loss was a breaking point for the Dolphins. The team benched their starting quarterback,Tua Tagovailoa and moved forward with seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers. With Ewers, Miami won one out of their final three games. However, with the team already eliminated, those games had the feel of preseason football. One of the Dolphins players who missed the final three games,may also find himself with another team in 2026.
Dolphins Expected to Trade All-Pro Safety
During the Dolphins’ loss to the Steelers, they also lost one of their key players to injury. Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game against the Steelers with a calf injury, and despite not being placed on injured reserve, he did not play in any of the final three games. It was an unfortunate end to what had been one of the most positive stories of the season for the Dolphins.
Fitzpatrick returned to the Dolphins prior to the season in a trade in which Miami gave away Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh. Fitzpatrick had previously played for the Dolphins in 2018, and was traded to the Steelers in 2019. Despite the positive reunion, a new report makes it seem like the reunion will be short-lived. Miami Herald writer Omar Kelly was on The Dolphins Collective show and talked about Minkah Fitzpatrick, saying, “he’s going to get traded.” The conversation surged as new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan spoke on some of the players he viewed as building blocks and did not mention the 29-year-old All-Pro safety.
Fitzpatrick was one of the more productive players for the Dolphins in 2025. He finished the year with an overall grade of 81.8 by Pro Football Focus, which ranked him as the eighth-best safety in the NFL. In particular, his strong play was displayed against New Orleans as he had a game-clinching interception on a two-point conversion attempt by the Saints.
Minkah Fitzpatrick’s Contract
The primary reason Fitzpatrick may be on the move is his $18 million cap hit in 2026. To avoid having a significant cap hit in 2025, the Dolphins agreed to revise his contract and converted a majority of his base salary into a contract bonus. Now, if the Dolphins were to cut Fitzpatrick after June 1, the team could save $15 million in cap space as he has no guaranteed money on his $15 million salary.
Kelly’s report seems to indicate that the safety will be traded. With one-year remaining on his contract and no guaranteed money, the Dolphins can easily move the defensive back. The most likely scenario is Miami nets a late-round pick for the former All-Pro safety.
Dolphins Expected to Cut Ties With $15 Million All-Pro Starter