The New York Jets finished the 2025 NFL season with a lowly 3-14 record, one of the worst seasons in franchise history for a Jets team that is starving for a playoff appearance. New York has some critical decisions to make during this offseason with their cap space and draft picks, but it looks like the team is serious about adding proven talent to the roster.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that the Jets are sending the Los Angeles Charger’s 2026 seventh-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Schefter went on in his report to note that the Jets are also signing Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $40 million deal as part of the trade, according to what the insider was told from Drew Rosenhaus, Fitzpatrick’s agent.
Fitzpatrick, 29, is coming off another solid season in which he totaled 82 tackles, six passes defended, and one interception in 14 games played for the Dolphins last season. With the Dolphins entering full rebuild mode by releasing players like wide receiver Tyreek Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, older veterans like Fitzpatrick were bound to be sent elsewhere to give Miami the complete reset it desires.
Despite the fact that Fitzpatrick could be exiting his athletic prime soon, he would still be a wonderful help to a Jets defense that made history by not recording an interception over the course of the 2025 campaign. While New York struggled on both sides of the ball, their defense needs an overhaul after trading away cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in the middle of the 2025 season.
Fitzpatrick is only two seasons removed from his most recent Pro Bowl nomination during the 2024 season so he will be bringing the most pedigree to New York’s defensive backfield and is sure to be a significant improvement. The good news for the Jets is they still have significant cap space to sign free-agents along with having the second and 16th overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to add to the roster.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Report: Jets trade 7th-round pick for Dolphins S Minkah Fitzpatrick
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
