New York Jets should take advantage of Miami Dolphins fire-sale

The Miami Dolphins are having a fire-sale with their roster. Here’s why the New York Jets should take FULL advantage sooner rather than later.

The Miami Dolphins are doing their best Oprah impression: you get a player, you get a player, EVERYONE GETS A PLAYER!

• “Houston Texans traded two first-round picks plus a second-rounder to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills.” – NFL.com.
• The team is openly tanking to try to get the highest draft pick possible ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.
• I mean hell the Dolphins even re-signed ‘Tank’ Carradine, you might as well just come out and say you’re officially tanking.

The New York Jets should take full advantage of this fire-sale to address one of their biggest areas of need.

On Friday morning ESPN NFL Reporter Chris Mortensen revealed that “former first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick has received permission from the Miami Dolphins to seek a trade.”

Apparently one of the major sticking points for this trade revolves around Fitzpatrick being unhappy that he’s been forced to play multiple positions. Minkah has displayed the ability to play both corner and safety since his time at Alabama.

Well, fortunately, the New York Jets have an outstanding pair of starting safeties in Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, so if a trade was to be consummated, Minkah would immediately start at cornerback for the green and white.

Per the initial ESPN report, a personnel man for one team had praise for Fitzpatrick as the “ideal slot corner who can cover, blitz off the edge, intelligent, a good tackler and a good special-teams player,” but doubted that teams would be willing to part with a first-round draft choice in 2020.

Now obviously the Jets need a facelift at cornerback. Their current situation at corner may be one of the worst in the entire NFL.

But if the price tag indeed features a first-round draft choice, the team should be hesitant on including it in a potential deal.

With the latest Sam Darnold bombshell this week, the Jets season has the potential to go off the rails if his mono lasts a large amount of time. Which means the green and white could be staring at a high first-round pick if Darnold doesn’t return.

Although according to a report from reporter Benjamin Allbright, “the Dolphins are indeed asking for a first, but would likely settle for a second.”

If that is indeed the case, why wouldn’t the Jets execute a second trade in the AFC East in 2019?

For the first time in 19 years, the Jets and the New England Patriots agreed to a deal sending veteran wideout Demaryius Thomas to gang green.

Utilizing the Pro Football Reference Trade Finder, the last documented trade between the Jets and the Dolphins in history occurred back in 1996:

“The New York Jets traded offensive tackle James Brown to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice.”

Whether it’s a first or a second-round pick, the Jets have to consider pulling the trigger.

Minkah Fitzpatrick is still incredibly young (22 years old), under team control through at least 2022 (by exercising the fifth-year option), and has all the tools to be an All-Pro at corner.

Not only does he check the physical specs (6-foot-1, 202 pounds), but he also is a high character guy off the field.

The Executive Director for the Reese’s Senior Bowl Jim Nagy gave his stamp of approval on social media on Friday:

Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the cleanest prospects in past decade. If he’s available, this trade should get done today.

✅off-field✅size✅strength✅athleticism✅high IQ✅tough✅competitive✅durable✅griitty✅leadership✅work ethic✅versatile✅productive✅winner

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) September 13, 2019

While some fans may question if the Dolphins would even consider a trade in the division? We’d counter and say why would Miami in their right mind even consider trading him in the first place?

Clearly this Dolphins team isn’t in the right place of mind, so the Jets should take full advantage of this.

General manager Joe Douglas has been clear from the outset, he’ll do whatever it takes to improve the talent of this football team. If he’s a man of his word, he’ll explore every avenue to make Minkah Fitzpatrick the latest member of gang green.