Dolphins Made Massive Mistake with Ramsey-Fitzpatrick Trade

By dennismelnik

Gregory Reed / Shutterstock.com

NFL fans, we’ve got a BLOCKBUSTER trade to break down! The final day of June brought us one of those rare player-for-player swaps that we almost never see in the league. The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a massive deal that’s sending shockwaves through both franchises.

Jalen Ramsey is heading to Pittsburgh, Minkah Fitzpatrick is making a surprising return to Miami, and Jonnu Smith is reuniting with Arthur Smith in Steel City. It’s the kind of trade that makes you do a double-take when scrolling through your timeline.

The rumors had been swirling all offseason about Ramsey wanting out of Miami. The star cornerback – known for changing teams more often than most Pro Bowlers – was looking for a better situation to chase another ring. Meanwhile, the Dolphins seemed eager to shed his contract from their books. Smith was also on the trading block after putting up career numbers with Miami last season.

Something had to give.

When details started leaking, the immediate question was: what’s each team trying to accomplish here? The Steelers are always in win-now mode – that’s just how they operate. But Miami’s strategy left many scratching their heads. Are they really punting on 2025 before a single snap? Classic Dolphins – one foot in, one foot out, as usual.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network broke the news about Ramsey heading to Pittsburgh, noting the All-Pro corner will get a $1.5 million raise in 2025, bumping his salary to $26.6M.

Shortly after, Adam Schefter reported that Smith would be joining Ramsey in Pittsburgh. The tight end is getting a one-year, $12 million extension as part of the deal – a nice payday arranged by agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey.

The Full Trade Breakdown

Here’s what each team is getting in this wild swap:

Where are all the premium draft picks heading Miami’s way? The compensation seems strangely light for a team giving up an All-Pro cornerback AND a productive tight end.

The Dolphins seem to be trying to accomplish multiple goals at once – and aren’t doing any of them particularly well. The lack of significant draft capital coming back suggests GM Chris Grier might be in survival mode. If Miami misses the playoffs, there’s a good chance both Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel could be looking for new jobs.

I get that Ramsey wanted out and the Dolphins had to move him. But bringing back Fitzpatrick? The same guy they shipped to Pittsburgh years ago when he was young and desperate to escape Miami? It’s like they’re running in circles. Fitzpatrick thrived after leaving – why would he want to return to the organization that didn’t value him the first time around?

The most concerning part for Dolphins fans is the potential instability. If owner Stephen Ross does clean house after this season, who’s taking over? McDaniel has actually provided some stability to a franchise that desperately needed it. He might not have been every team’s first choice when he was hired, but he’s shown he can coach in this league.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh continues doing what they’ve always done – aggressively pursuing talent to remain competitive. The Steelers are adding an elite corner and a tight end who thrived under their new offensive coordinator.

This trade simply reinforces what we already knew: the Steelers are trying to win championships while the Dolphins are just… existing.

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