As much as the Dolphins would prefer to hold on to Minkah Fitzpatrick and not trade him, other teams in contact with them said Miami has asked for “a firm” first-round draft pick and “something else” in order to pry loose the 22-year-old defensive back, sources tell ESPN.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported this past week that the Dolphins have granted permission to Fitzpatrick’s agent, Joel Segal, to discuss a trade with other teams.
At least five teams have expressed interest, sources tell ESPN, but other teams don’t believe the Dolphins will be able to recoup a first-round pick and something else for Fitzpatrick, despite the fact that he is under contract through 2021 and has a fifth-year option, and that his highest remaining base salary is $2.27 million.
Then again, other teams didn’t think the Dolphins would land two first-round picks and a second-round pick for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil — and they did, in a blockbuster trade earlier this month with the Texans.
The Dolphins also will need Fitzpatrick to play better than he did last Sunday, when he was lit up in Miami’s 59-10 loss to the Ravens — and other teams that have been tracking him noticed it.
“His tape from last Sunday is not good,” one general manager told ESPN about Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, the 11th overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Alabama, is unhappy about playing multiple positions and has been for several weeks, sources told Mortensen.
But Fitzpatrick declined to discuss the trade talks with reporters Friday, saying that he is focusing on his role in Miami’s game Sunday against Tom Brady and the reigning Super Bowl champion Patriots.