Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
How Dolphins can get the most for Fitzpatrick
It appears yet another divorce in Davie is brewing.
When an agent leaks that a former first-round pick — a player viewed as a building block for a rebuilding franchise — wants to be traded, and the team doesn’t deny the fact that agent, Joel Segal, has been given permission to broker a trade, the relationship might be irreconcilable.
On Monday, the media witnessed Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores and Minkah Fitzpatrick having what they thought was a private, yet animated conversation in the lunchroom after Fitzpatrick raised concerns to the media about how the defensive back was used in Sunday’s 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Now we know that conversation was about much more than Fitzpatrick’s role. It was likely about Fitzpatrick being one of the players who reportedly want off the Titanic — and leave a team that many believe is tanking to acquire the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Two important questions regarding Fitzpatrick must be addressed by the Dolphins moving forward.
First, what’s the proper way to use the former Alabama standout, who has played four positions since joining the team? And second, what’s fair value for trading the 11th pick of the 2018 draft?
Fitzpatrick, who had 79 tackles and two interceptions as a rookie last season, was at his best when utilized at nickel cornerback.
That’s a position he was used in for roughly half his snaps during the opener, as he split time with Jomal Wiltz.
Fitzpatrick was decent as the Dolphins’ boundary cornerback as a rookie, and could be an upgrade over Eric Rowe playing on the opposite side of Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard.
We know whoever plays opposite Howard will be under heavy fire all season. Rowe led the Dolphins with 12 tackles in the opener. So if Fitzpatrick wants to accept that role — and the challenge that comes with it — why not let him.
However, having Fitzpatrick cover tight ends is a recipe for disaster because he doesn’t have the strength to match up with them one on one at the line of scrimmage. The Ravens completed 14 passes to tight ends last week. And making matters worse, without a strong pass rush — which the Dolphins don’t have — he’ll have to cover for what will seem like an eternity.
Walt Aikens, the Dolphins’ specialteams ace, can handle defending tight ends. He’s done it throughout his career from time to time. Or Miami could put that responsibility on Reshad Jones’ shoulders, even though he’s struggled in that area.
Considering there’s a strain in the relationship, and he’s being shopped around, it would be wise for Miami to put Fitzpatrick in roles he can excel in. That means not have him playing linebacker for most of the game, like he did against the Ravens, a game where he allowed all six passes thrown his way to be completed, and gave up at least two touchdowns.
Miami needs to focus on getting the best value for Fitzpatrick moving forward.
Seeing how the Dolphins traded a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick to acquire quarterback Josh Rosen, the player selected one spot ahead of Fitzpatrick in the 2018 draft, it’s hard to envision Miami getting more than what they gave up for a comparable player.
However, a playoff contender in need of cornerback or safety help — whether it be Kansas City, Dallas or Seattle — could look at the fact Miami’s paid the bulk of Fitzpatrick’s rookie deal ($10,042,012 signing bonus), and he potentially is under contract for four more seasons at a relatively cheap rate, as a sweetener for a trade.
Fitzpatrick will make just under $6 million over the next three seasons, and there’s a fifth-year option in 2022 that would potentially pay him a oneyear payout of $10-11 million by then — so the money is favorable. It equates to $17 million for the next four seasons, which might motivate a contender to offer up what they expect to be a late-first round pick for a young, promising NFL starter who desperately wants a fresh start.
What Miami needs is a bidding war, which is something they didn’t have for Rosen, yet still overpaid for the backup quarterback.
What general manager Chris Grier must decide is whether the severed relationship with Fitzpatrick is salvageable, and if it’s not, how can Miami maximize the time and resources invested in the former first-round pick?
The starting point would be to have Fitzpatrick return to the slot role, where he’ll hopefully show the Dolphins — and possibly all of his NFL suitors — what he brings to the team.