Derwin James extension proves Darren Mougey cooked with Minkah Fitzpatrick's contract

When the New York Jets traded for Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick right before free agency kicked off, the move was widely liked for several reasons.

For starters, the Jets only had to give up a seventh-round pick for the former Alabama standout's services, a small price to pay for the five-time Pro Bowler.

They even got him on a solid three-year, $40 million contract, a deal that makes Fitzpatrick the 13th-highest paid safety in the NFL.

The contract has aged incredibly well in just a few short months, especially after the deal Derwin James received from the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jets may have gotten a bargain with Minkah Fitzpatrick's contract

On Tuesday evening, the Chargers inked James to a three-year, $75.6 million contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, making him the highest-paid safety in the league.

The deal pays him $100k more than Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, barely squeaking by for the top spot in the league.

New York's pact with Fitzpatrick basically pays him half of what the top safeties are getting around the NFL, and it's honestly incredibly impressive.

According to Pro Football Focus, Fitzpatrick was a better player than James last season. The former Dolphins safety was the seventh-highest graded safety in the league in 2025, while James came in
at ninth-best.

Now, PFF grades aren't the end-all, be-all when it comes to how much better one player is over the other, but regardless, the point still stands. The Jets got a bargain with Fitzpatrick.

The three-time All-Pro is expected to bring a much-needed veteran presence to the Jets' secondary, something they've sorely lacked over the last few years.

While his production has tailed off over the last few seasons (he's only had two interceptions over the last two years), the impact he'll make on the field is immeasurable.

Fitzpatrick won't just be playing safety; he also indicated that he'll be playing some nickel cornerback as well, moving him closer to the line of scrimmage.

At 29-years-old, the former first-round pick's best play may be behind him. But he surely has plenty left in the tank to make an impact on a Jets defense that needs stars.

Considering the price they're paying him, it's a worthwhile investment in a player who probably deserves a little more as one of the better defensive backs in the NFL.

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