It’s legal tampering day in the NFL, and the New York Jets have made their first big splash before the floodgates even opened.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jets have acquired safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick via the Los Angeles Chargers. The Jets are also signing Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $40 million deal.
The 29-year-old Fitzpatrick, a New Jersey native, is a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro.
Fitzpatrick was selected 11th overall by Miami in the 2018 NFL draft out of Alabama. In his second season, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, for whom he played six seasons (2019-24). In that span, Fitzpatrick made five Pro Bowls and three first-team All-Pro appearances for the Steelers, racking up 18 interceptions and 516 total tackles in 88 games (all starts).
Before the 2025 season, Pittsburgh traded Fitzpatrick back to Miami in a blockbuster deal that sent Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers. In 2025, Fitzpatrick played 14 games for the Dolphins (all starts), recording 82 total tackles, one interception, one sack, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and six passes defended.
The Jets were widely expected to sign a safety in free agency, and they ended up striking before the NFL’s legal tampering window opened at 12 p.m. EST. In Fitzpatrick, they get a seasoned veteran leader for their young defense, whose knack for takeaways will be a massive boost for a unit that forced four turnovers in 2025.
