The Dolphins’ blockbuster trade with Pittsburgh is a high-stakes move that underscores Miami’s fragile balancing act in 2025

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Kyle Crabbs | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 2:21 PM ET

So much for the summer doldrums!

The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers just threw a massive stone at the NFL offseason, making waves with a three-player blockbuster trade that sends tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (plus a 2027 seventh-round draft choice) to Pittsburgh in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round draft choice.

The deal shifts the dynamics of both teams significantly, as Pittsburgh loads up on talent on both sides of the ball and Miami moves its biggest weakness in the secondary from safety to cornerback.

But this move, from the Dolphins' perspective, is rooted in the long game. There have been lots of assumptions about what Miami will and won't be in 2025 after a disappointing 2024. But every move the Dolphins have made this offseason has been rooted in one thing — aligning this organization for the next competitive window. This trade makes the most sense for the Dolphins by what it means for the next team-building cycle that they are going to undertake, not for the instant gratification of what it brings for 2025.

One of the salary cap websites, Spotrac, perfectly summarizes the "why" for Miami.

The Perfect Synopsis Of Miami Dolphins' Trade Motivation

The Dolphins send out $25.2M of salary in this trade, bringing back $15.5M on Fitzpatrick's deal. They free up cash, cap, and a messy situation with Ramsey, securing a starter & a mid round pick in the process. https://t.co/AoRoVi0pgl
— Spotrac (@spotrac) June 30, 2025

The Dolphins get younger (somewhat) and offload current & future cash commitments. It's now reported that Miami paid an additional $3 million of Ramsey's salary to facilitate the trade, netting an additional $7 million in cash savings by moving on from Ramsey and Jonnu Smith in order to bring Minkah Fitzpatrick back and help raise the profile of the safety room. Fitzpatrick will turn 29 years old in November, whereas Ramsey will turn 31 years old in October.

The $7 million in cash savings doesn't include the $8 million pay raise that the Steelers have agreed to give to give Jonnu Smith, either. Smith will now play in 2025 on a one-year, $12 million contract after being scheduled to play for just over $4 million this season as the second year of a two-year, $8 million contract signed with the Dolphins last spring.

Are the Dolphins trying to win in 2025? Of course they are. But they're not just playing a desperate game for 2025, either. They're playing chess in a way that allows them to line up their assets for the next big cycle of team building. It's a gamble for names like general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel because they do need the team to perform at a high level to take the pressure off after their 8-9 showing in 2024.

But one thing this affirms is that the Dolphins are calculating their moves not just through the desperate lens of the here and now. Whether it works out for them? That will depend on what newly (re-)acquired safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and the rest of the Dolphins do on the field this season.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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