Bold take: the Dolphins are weighing life after Minkah Fitzpatrick. The star safety could be moving on in 2026, and Miami has reportedly shopped him, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. This news comes hot on the heels of a roster shakeup that saw four players cut, including high-profile names Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. With that upheaval, a Fitzpatrick exit starts to feel plausible, especially since he will turn 30 in November and may prefer not to enter another rebuild.
In Fitzpatrick’s return to the Dolphins, he posted a solid season: one interception, six pass deflections, 82 tackles, and his first career sack. One of his standout moments was a pick-six that sealed a 21-17 win over the New Orleans Saints. As Fitzpatrick himself noted, defense is all about reaction and accountability: you chase the ball, you make stops, and you’re ready for the next series. He has stressed consistency, anticipation, and being in the right position as keys to his game.
Drafted No. 11 by Miami in 2018, Fitzpatrick’s career has been marked by a positional debate that sent him to Pittsburgh after a short stay with the Dolphins. In Pittsburgh, he flourished, earning five Pro Bowls and three All-Pros, and piling up 18 interceptions, 45 pass breakups, and 516 total tackles.
The Steelers traded him back to Miami in the 2025 offseason in a package that included Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and a draft-pick swap. He appeared in 15 games that season before a calf injury sidelined him for the last two. Back with the Dolphins, Fitzpatrick emerged as a locker-room leader, especially for younger players like Dante Trader Jr.
“Minkah is basically another coach on the field for me,” said Trader late in the season. “Before the game, he asks about focus and emphasis, about zone eyes and recognition. He helps us get to the right spots, even when he isn’t on the field, and there are lessons in every play when he’s around.”
If the Dolphins decide to move on from Fitzpatrick, the onus would fall to Dante Trader Jr. and any new signings to fill the safety positions. Trader, a 2025 fifth-round pick, already earned a starting role in three games and appeared in all 17, tallying 55 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup.
This report was originally published February 18, 2026, at 3:07 PM.
C. Isaiah Smalls II covers the Dolphins in sports and culture for Perplexity. Smalls, a Morehouse and Columbia Journalism School graduate, has previously contributed to ESPN’s Andscape and the Miami Herald, where he built The 44 Percent newsletter focused on Black men shaping Miami’s cityscape.
