Pittsburgh Steelers get defensive help with trade for DB Minkah Fitzpatrick

The Miami Dolphins continue their rummage sale with the trade of coveted defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

In a little over a month, the Dolphins have shipped out their starting left tackle, a starting wide receiver and now one of their most important defensive pieces. Fitzpatrick, taken with the 11th overall pick in the first-round pick out of Alabama in 2018, had expressed his wishes to leave Miami based upon the franchise’s lack of effort to form a club that had any interest in winning games this season.

In exchange for Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins receive the Steelers first-round and fifth-round picks in the 2020 NFL draft, plus a sixth-rounder in 2021. The Dolphins had given him permission to seek a trade prior to Miami’s 43-0 beatdown Sunday against the New England Patriots. The Steelers will also receive Miami’s fourth round pick in 2020 and sixth round pick in 2021.

The Steelers already feature one of the league’s best defensive backfields with Steven Nelson, Terrell Edmunds and former Brown Joe Haden.

Fitzpatrick is in the second year of his rookie deal which carries a price of $1.8 million this year and then $1.9 million in 2020 followed by $2.7 in his fourth season, plus a fifth-year option because he is a first-round pick.

The trade leaves Pittsburgh out of the first-round this upcoming spring. Given the loss of QB Ben Roethlisberger this season, though, if the losses keep piling up in 2019, then that first-round pick that Miami acquired for 2020 could be quite valuable. With all of its trades, the Dolphins now have three first-round picks and two second-rounders in this year’s draft, plus two firsts and two seconds in 2021.

Following Fitzpatrick’s example of a departure, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey has also requested a trade.