Add yet another big name to the seemingly endless list of potential trade candidates this NFL offseason: As the Miami Dolphins go about resetting their roster in year one under new head coach Jeff Hafley, the team is reportedly open to moving on from former All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Dolphins need to get younger and more financially flexible, and with a $15.6 million cap hit coming in the final year of his four-year, $73.6 million contract, Fitzpatrick doesn't help in either of those areas — especially not for a declining player who's rapidly approaching 30.
But while Fitzpatrick isn't the game-wrecker he was in his prime with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he can still help a defense with his ability to defend both the pass and the run. And his age and cost, in addition to Miami's lack of leverage, mean that he should be available for likely just a Day 3 pick or so. At that price, several would-be contenders should be interested.
Dallas Cowboys
Something needs to change with this Dallas defense in 2026, and we know that Jerry Jones is always looking to not only add impact talent but also win as many press conferences as possible along the way. Beyond the juicier reasons for this match, though, it also makes a good amount of football sense: The Cowboys are shifting back to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, which should help Fitzpatrick get back to the all-field menace he was in Pittsburgh not all that long ago.
Dallas needs help against both the run and the pass, and they might be moving on from Malik Hooker for cap reasons. Why not take a relatively cheap flier on Fitzpatrick in the final year of his contract? If nothing else, George Pickens would love it.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Okay, so this one's a stretch: A player cannot be sent back to a team he was traded from within two years of the original deal, meaning that Fitzpatrick could only wind up in Pittsburgh if he were to be released by Miami. But hey, that's hardly out of the realm of possibility, and ironically enough, Fitzpatrick would fit pretty well alongside the current version of Jalen Ramsey in the Steelers' secondary.
DeShon Elliott isn't getting any younger, and is coming off of injury. Ramsey, Fitzpatrick and Joey Porter Jr. is a solid and versatile foundation upon which to build, and Pittsburgh is in need of more talent in the secondary. Stranger things have happened.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were most vulnerable in 2025 when their lack of physicality and athleticism in the secondary was exposed against bigger, better passing attacks. Kam Curl and Quentin Lake are nice players, but they're also not intimidating players, and those limitations cost them at the worst possible times against both the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs.
Fitzpatrick could at the very least help bring some much-needed oomph to this defensive backfield. It's the single biggest need for L.A. to address as they load up for (at least) one more run with Matthew Stafford at QB, and while they'll no doubt also address it in the draft, a veteran presence with flexibility to play in various spots on the field would be awfully helpful.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals defense has been a mess in pretty much every area over the last couple of years, but arguably no weakness sticks out more than safety. Cincinnati was a sieve on the back end in 2024, and Geno Stone hardly improved matters despite starting 15 games last season. An upgrade, and some more athleticism, is desperately needed here if the Bengals want to get back into contention and stop giving up so many big plays.
Realistically, given the way this team operates, they're not going to be able to land a more impactful player for so comparatively little long-term expense, and while the draft is an option, it's a far riskier path — and this team has plenty of other needs to address as well. Fitzpatrick could finally bring some stability at a sore spot, and hopefully help get this defense back towards competence.
San Francisco 49ers
New 49ers DC Raheem Morris knows a thing or two about secondary play, having coached the position for years at the NFL level and having coached a string of great safeties (including, most recently, Jessie Bates in Atlanta). But Morris doesn't have a ton of talent to work with in San Francisco right now, as the combination of Malik Mustapha, Ji'Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle and Jason Pinnock simply wasn't good enough for the Niners in 2025.
San Francisco's pass defense was bad by just about every metric last season, a performance that can't be entirely explained away by poor injury luck. They need better players, point blank, and Fitzpatrick is a legitimate upgrade available for a late-round pick and a one-year cap hit. Given where the 49ers are in their competitive cycle, that's worth the risk.