Jamal Adams trade proves Steelers stole Minkah Fitzpatrick

With Jamal Adams traded for a small fortune, it’s clear the Steelers fleeced Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins drafted safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from Alabama with the 11th overall pick. Fitzpatrick was rated as one of the best players in that year’s draft class and was the best defensive back in the eyes of many.

Fitzpatrick was able to see the field right away as a rookie and started in 11 games where he recorded two interceptions and 80 total tackles.

But when last season began, Fitzpatrick decided that he did not want to continue playing with the Dolphins due to his belief that he was being misused and that the franchise was heading in the wrong direction. As a result, he requested a trade.

The Dolphins heeded to Fitzpatrick’s request and sent him to the Steelers along with a 2020 fourth-round draft pick and a 2021 seventh-round draft pick in exchange for the Steelers’ 2020 first and fifth-round draft picks, and a sixth-round pick in 2021.

Once Fitzpatrick had a change of scenery, he absolutely took off. He started in 14 games for Pittsburgh and intercepted a career-high five passes and made 57 total tackles. 

Now that Fitzpatrick has played well, it proves the Dolphins were robbed.

Even though it didn’t reflect well on Miami that Fitzpatrick had a career-best season, the Dolphins at least had a chance to use their new draft picks to select a replacement or make an attempt to trade for an already established safety.

When reviewing the Jets return for a player of Adams’ caliber, the Dolphins missed out when trading away Fitzpatrick. New York’s ability to land two first-round picks plus a young, starting-caliber safety in Bradley McDougald for Adams as compared to Miami’s draft capital for Fitzpatrick proves they gave in too easily in negotiations for the Alabama product.

Now the Dolphins have given away a safety who seems like a future star, and while they certainly have helped improve other positions with the draft picks they got in exchange for Fitzpatrick they failed to secure a comparable replacement.

And as both the Steelers and Seahawks enter the 2020 NFL season with an obvious top player in the defensive backfield, it is clear the Dolphins got robbed.