MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins are cleaning house. General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan isn’t just trimming the fat; he’s slicing into the bone. Following a dismal 2025 campaign, Miami is tearing down the roster to salvage future cap flexibility. A Minkah Fitzpatrick trade now feels inevitable. Dealing the 29-year-old safety before June 1 eats roughly $13 million in dead money, but it frees up nearly $6 million in 2026 cap space.
Walking through the Dolphins’ facility this week, you could almost feel the tension radiating off the walls. Veterans know their days are numbered. Any team looking to swing a deal needs three things: cash, a glaring hole in the secondary, and serious playoff ambitions.
Washington fell incredibly hard in 2025. Just one year after rookie phenom Jayden Daniels dragged them to an NFC Championship appearance, the bottom dropped out entirely. Injuries derailed Daniels, but the defense aged in dog years. Opposing offenses torched them weekly, leaving the Commanders dead last in league defensive rankings.
Armed with $74.5 million in cap room, Washington can easily absorb Fitzpatrick’s $15.6 million cash payout for this season. Plugging him into the deep third or rolling him into the box fixes their most glaring liability instantly. Head coach Dan Quinn desperately needs a tone-setter.
“You need dogs on the back end. Guys who fly to the football and make offensive coordinators tear up their game plans on Tuesday mornings.”
— Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders Head Coach
Cincinnati fans know exactly what Fitzpatrick brings to the field. He terrorized them for years wearing black and gold in Pittsburgh. The frosty winds whipping through Paycor Stadium would feel a lot warmer if Who Dey Nation welcomed their former AFC North rival to town.
Since Jessie Bates skipped town in 2023, the back end of the Bengals’ defense has bled yardage. DJ Turner and Dax Hill hold their own on the boundaries, but the safety room remains a massive liability. Instead of burning cash in free agency, Cincinnati could flip a mid-round pick to Miami. Joe Burrow’s championship window won’t stay open forever. The front office must push their chips into the middle of the table.
Vegas holds the golden ticket this April. Armed with the No. 1 overall pick—expected to be Indiana’s Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza—new head coach Klint Kubiak is building a fresh identity. The Raiders also boast the second-most cap space in the NFL.
Maxx Crosby wrecks offensive lines single-handedly, but he needs help behind him. Pairing Jeremy Chinn with Fitzpatrick creates a vicious, interchangeable safety duo. Plus, the lack of state income tax in Nevada makes a 2027 contract extension an easy sell.
If the Dolphins pull the trigger, the balance of power in the AFC shifts overnight. Miami officially waves the white flag on 2026, embracing a multi-year rebuild. Meanwhile, an acquiring team instantly alters throwing windows. Elite safeties force quarterbacks to hold the ball a fraction of a second longer. In January football, that fraction of a second is all a pass rush needs to get home and seal a playoff victory.
