The Miami Dolphins traded Jalen Ramsey roughly 10 months after making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL (at the time). General manager Chris Grier stated that he didn't ask to get rerouted when confirming the team's plans to move him in April. However, both sides were ready for a fresh start, leading to the star cornerback getting sent to the Pittsburgh Steelers for standout safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Frankly, the Dolphins recouping any notable value for Ramsey was shocking, let alone someone of Fitzpatrick's caliber. There was speculation that the former would wind up getting released outright. Instead, Miami pulls a rabbit out of the hat and turns one three-time All-Pro into another, and Grier deserves a ton of credit.
Well, Grier may have gotten some of the well-earned recognition we're talking about, courtesy of ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The insider conducted an anonymous survey of league executives, coaches and scouts ranking the top 10 safeties for 2025, and Fitzpatrick made the list. Miami's front office didn't need any more validation that they did well in their swap with the Steelers, but here it is.
Those in NFL circles confirm Dolphins fleeced Steelers in Jalen Ramsey-Minkah Fitzpatrick swap
Fitzpatrick comes in as the No. 9 safety in football, based on the intel Fowler gathered. It's lower than his No. 4 finish in 2024 and No. 1 status in 2023. Nonetheless, the 28-year-old was as high as No. 2 in a poll, though it's worth noting he was also unranked in someone's eyes.
One unnamed coordinator acknowledged that Fitzpatrick returns"still has a lot to offer." Miami's first-round pick in 2018 is an "incredibly hard worker, tone-setter [and is] super solid running things on the back end and preventing big plays, things that go unnoticed."
Ramsey was a post-June 1 cut candidate (to some degree). The $30 million-plus in dead money the Phins would've absorbed by doing so made an unrealistically tough pill to swallow. But there wasn't much of a market for the 30-year-old, considering we see him get moved a handful of months after Miami began exploring options.
Miami turned a distressed asset into a younger, cheaper player who's just as impactful in the secondary while creating long-term financial flexibility. That's great business, if you ask us. Fitzpatrick will serve a critical role in their stop unit, plus the Phins no longer have the Ramsey situation hanging over them.
While there weren't many suitors interested in acquiring Ramsey, he and Miami were "past a point of no return," according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. The Phins had no leverage, yet they were able to dump the remainder of his $26.6 million 2025 salary to the Steelers — and land Fitzpatrick.