Jets take advantage of a divisional rival to make perfect use of their available salary cap space this offseason
Jets acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins
The New York Jets enter free agency with more than $70 million in cap space. But everyone knows at this point how signing available players is risky — overpays are frequent, and it’s hard to find true values around the market. So Jets general manager Darren Mougey made the perfect usage of his available cap.
Right before the start of the two-day negotiating period leading up to the new league year, the Jets agreed to an intra-divisional trade with the Miami Dolphins, acquiring safety Minkah Fitzpatrick for a seventh-round pick.
As part of the deal, the Jets gave Fitzpatrick a three-year, $40 million extension. The defensive back was already under contract in 2026 for $15.6 million, so he’s connected to the Jets now through 2029.
Where Minkah’s at in his career
Minkah Fitzpatrick’s second run with the Miami Dolphins is, somehow, shorter than his first. Fitzpatrick was very good as a member of Miami in 2025 — serving as a versatile move piece who thrived thanks to his tackling ability, football instincts, and versatility to cover from the nickel.
As Fitzpatrick continues to age, keeping him closer to the core as a nickel defender puts him in the best position to continue to accentuate those strengths while his overall athleticism starts to fade. I’d suspect Fitzpatrick will be a standout for the Jets if they keep him in such role; he’s got plenty of meat left on the bone of his career.
Jets depth at safety
Andre Cisco, Tony Adams, and Isaiah Oliver are all pending free agents, so safety was certainly a roster issue for New York. The room has Malachi Morley, Dean Clark, Keidron Smith, Jarius Monroe, and Chris Smith II — which was obviously not enough.
The Jets are taking advantage of the Dolphins’ rebuilding process under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan to get a solid and experienced player for basically no draft capital and a reasonable contract.
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