Minkah Fitzpatrick is back where his career began thanks to the trade which sent him from Pittsburgh to Miami. In the wake of that deal, the All-Pro safety worked out a restructured contract with the Dolphins. 
As a result of the alterations to his pact, Fitzpatrick received a signing bonus to help take the place of money which was not previously guaranteed. No new years were added to his pact, though, so the decision to accelerate compensation for 2025 did not add any term to Fitzpatrick’s second Dolphins stint. The five-time Pro Bowler is currently set to see his contract expire after the 2026 campaign, but he is interested in a long-term Miami tenure.
“I know it was reported that I wanted a new contract,” Fitzpatrick said (via the Associated Press through Fox Sports), “but I just wanted to know that I was going to be here for more than a season and I got that. And now, I’m going to go out there, play All-Pro, Pro Bowl level and hopefully earn the respect of my teammates and the organization to have that long-term contract.”
The restructure created $11MM in immediate cap space for the Dolphins, a team in need of financial flexibility given its cap situation prior to the Fitzpatrick reworking and the growing need for healthy contributors in the secondary. Of course, the move will inflate Fitzpatrick’s cap charge for 2026, providing further incentive on the team’s part to work out a multi-year commitment. Efforts on that front will be tied to how the 28-year-old fares in his return to South Beach.
Fitzpatrick’s request to be traded during his second season resulted in the swap which sent him to the Steelers. Over the course of course of 88 regular season games with Pittsburgh, he amassed 18 interceptions and 45 pass deflections. The past two seasons have seen Fitzpatrick notch just one pick, however, and a return to his previous form will be needed if he is to secure another lucrative pact. With an AAV of $18.25MM at signing, his current deal ranks fourth amongst safeties. Another accord could be in store next spring depending on how things play out.