Jets’ Minkah Fitzpatrick trade may have just put Malachi Moore on notice

The former fourth-round pick may have some competition in 2026.

Charlie Baduini

New York Jets defensive back Malachi Moore / Travis Register-Imagn Images

The New York Jets have made their long-awaited splash in the defensive back room, trading for Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Darren Mougey worked some of his patented trade magic, making the swap for only a 2026 seventh-round pick.

New York needed a new face on the backend of their defense. The revolving door of Andre Cisco and Tony Adams wasn't very productive, to say the least, last season, and while 2025 fourth-round pick Malachi Moore played well at times, he was too inconsistent to be counted on as a Week 1 starter for the 2026 season.

Could the addition of Fitzpatrick signal that the Jets are completely overhauling their safety room? Will they add another veteran on the free agent market to complement the former Pittsburgh Steeler?

If that's the case, it could be bad news for Moore, who is in no way guaranteed a starting spot next season.

Minkah Fitzpatrick trade could be tough luck for Jets Malachi Moore

The 130th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft put together an okay rookie season in New York, appearing in all 17 games and starting 14 of them. He recorded 101 tackles, three tackles for loss, three pass break-ups, and a forced fumble.

Moore recorded a 58.9 Pro Football Focus grade, ranking 72nd of 98 qualified safeties. It's clear that the former Crimson Tide standout still has some developing to do before he can be considered a starting-caliber player.

The Jets will likely continue examining the free agent safety market, but maybe not the top end, considering Fitzpatrick was the big move.

Maybe a reunion with former 2020 third-round pick Ashtyn Davis could be in order. The former Jet spent the 2025 season with new Jets defensive coordinator Brian Duker playing for the Dolphins, and could follow his defensive pass game specialist back to New York. Spotrac projects Davis to ink a one-year, $1.8 million deal in free agency.

Although Davis isn't considered a high-end starting option, it can't be denied that he has a nose for the football. Over his six-year career, he's hauled in nine interceptions and forced four fumbles, including 11 forced turnovers in his Jets career.

He would certainly at least push Moore to compete in training camp, and that may just be what the 24-year-old needs to improve entering year two in the NFL.

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini covers the New York Jets as a site expert for The Jet Press and FanSided. He is a sports journalist based in Northern New Jersey with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in print and broadcast journalism. Baduini’s byline can also be seen on Heavy and The Sporting News, where he covers several teams across the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured in Heavy, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and Yardbarker. He also serves as a seasonal intern for ESPN, working as a production assistant for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony every year since 2022. Baduini has been a Jets fan for as long as he can remember, with his family's fandom dating back to the 1960s when his grandfather, Louis, became a season ticket holder. His family has since held on to the tickets to this day. He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks and New York Mets.