Dolphins Complete Blockbuster Trade for All-Pro Safety

Fitzpatrick was selected 11th overall by the Dolphins and had a successful start to his career before being traded for a package that included a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, he quickly became one of the league’s premier safeties after arriving in Pittsburgh. 

He made three All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowls, while recording 18 interceptions and 45 pass breakups. The Dolphins are in desperate need of a better safety option, as the team added was set to rely on Ifeatu Melifonwu, Ashtyn Davis, and a collection of late-round draft picks. 

Fiztpatrick is in the second-to-last year of a four-year deal he signed in 2023 and will carry a base salary of $15.5 million this season and $17.6 million next season, according to Spotrac.

The trade comes a few months after the Dolphins announced the team would be parting ways with Ramsey, a former All-Pro and team captain, this offseason. It’s unclear what exactly led to the split, but it was clear the Dolphins weren’t caving. 

One of the biggest hurdles of a potential deal was figuring out what team would want to take on Ramsey’s salary. Well, Ramsey will get a $1.5 million raise this season, bringing his 2025 compensation up to $26.6 million, ESPN reported. 

This will be the second straight season Ramsey will get a raise, as he signed a three-year extension with the Dolphins last offseason. 

As for Smith’s half of the deal, he sought a raise after having a franchise-record setting season in 2024. He did not attend Miami’s mandatory minicamp with the hope of pressuring the team into giving him an extension, but trade rumors involving Pittsburgh immediately popped up. 

The Steelers are giving Smith a one-year, $12 million extension for this season, raising his salary from the $4.5 million he was slated to play under in Miami. Smith also reunites with Arthur Smith, who coached the tight end in Atlanta and Tennessee. 

Smith leaves a decently sized hole in Miami’s tight end room. Players like Julian Hill and Pharaoh Brown were going to be relied on to block no matter what, but Smith’s pass-catching role will now fall to players like Tanner Conner and Jalin Conyers. 

Although more realistically, his targets will be divided among players like Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, De’Von Achane, and Malik Washington. 

Initial Reaction to Dolphins-Steelers Trade

Given the speculation that the Dolphins were not going to get a significant asset in return for either player, getting a starting-caliber safety back in the deal has to feel like a win. 

Miami’s secondary had a solid argument of being one of the worst in the sport without Ramsey, so adding a veteran like Fitzpatrick, who can patrol the backend of the defense and properly support the young cornerbacks, is an excellent development. 

Fitzpatrick probably isn’t the elite player he was a few years ago, but he’s still an above-average starter and under contract for another season. 

While that’s the upside, there's also a downside. Fitzpatrick is getting older, and nobody will argue the Dolphins’ offense got better by losing Smith. His targets and role are easy to replace, but Smith is the prototype at the position for a reason. 

Overall, this blockbuster feels like the Dolphins making the most of a situation that was going to be difficult to “win.” Fitzpatrick is more than pretty much anyone anticipated the Dolphins getting back.

More Miami Dolphins Coverage