CINCINNATI — The Miami Dolphins are having a fire sale, and the Cincinnati Bengals are standing outside with an empty shopping cart and plenty of cap space. After watching their defense bleed yardage for much of last year, Cincinnati needs a true enforcer in the secondary. Enter a Bengals Minkah Fitzpatrick trade. The 29-year-old safety is suddenly available as Miami dismantles its roster under new head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, and the Bengals are aggressively circling the waters.
Cincinnati wants impact defenders, and they want them right now. You could feel the desperation radiating from the Cincinnati defense late last year. The chilly wind off the Ohio River didn’t stop fans from packing Paycor Stadium, but watching the secondary blow late-game coverages certainly quieted them down. Defensive coordinator Al Golden made it clear at the 2026 NFL Combine this week that the Bengals lack pressure and need versatile “force multipliers” to speed up the unit’s turnaround.
Fitzpatrick currently carries a $15.6 million base salary and an $18.8 million cap hit for 2026 before entering free agency. If Miami opts to release him to dodge that financial weight, Duke Tobin will likely be the first general manager on the phone.
The Bengals know exactly what Fitzpatrick brings to the table. They spent years watching him terrorize the AFC North during his Pittsburgh days. Replacing a franchise legend like Jessie Bates proved impossible overnight, and adding a five-time Pro Bowler like Fitzpatrick represents a massive, violent upgrade over current stopgaps like Geno Stone. Pairing Fitzpatrick’s veteran instincts with a rising talent like Jordan Battle instantly changes the math for opposing quarterbacks.
“The Bengals staff has always kind of loved Minkah, in the fact they hated to go against him. The idea of putting Minkah in there next to Jordan Battle, I think, has some legs.”
— Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic
Miami already cut Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. They are fully resetting. Cincinnati operates on the exact opposite end of the spectrum. Joe Burrow’s championship window demands urgent, aggressive moves. If the Bengals swallow Fitzpatrick’s current contract—or negotiate a projected three-year, $58 million extension to spread out the cap hit—they lock down a defensive general capable of covering up the linebackers’ growing pains.
Expect Duke Tobin to aggressively monitor the wire. If Miami holds out for draft compensation, Cincinnati might toss a mid-round pick just to secure Fitzpatrick before he hits the open market. This defense needs teeth, and Fitzpatrick brings the bite.
