Minkah Fitzpatrick draws unexpected praise ahead of Jets debut

Assuming that they still exist, an optimistic New York Jets fan might be tempted to argue that they swapped an All-Pro cornerback for a top-five safety.

Granted, that’s not the best way to look at the Sauce Gardner and Minkah Fitzpatrick trades, though it’s at least understandable. It’s the “a soul for a soul” argument, if you will. Less than six months after sending Gardner to the Colts, they brought in Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins.

Although Fitzpatrick has seemingly gone under the radar nationally in recent years, by no means are his best days behind him. In fact, Pro Football Focus even ranked him as the No. 4 safety leaguewide, trailing only Kyle Hamilton, Derwin James, and Xavier McKinney.

We’d refer to that trio as “elite company,” but that’s the whole point of the list, isn’t it?

“Now on the Jets, the 29-year-old chess piece will look to keep pace on a defense with improved talent,” Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker wrote. 

Minkah Fitzpatrick could be a pivotal addition for the New York Jets

Pro Football Focus grades are often problematic because of the system’s inexact science. How the service determines what makes a player so dominant feels far more subjective than traditional advanced statistics. So although Locker cited Fitzpatrick’s strong PFF grades, they’re not necessarily dependable.

Ironically, Pro Football Focus’ Fitzpatrick praise comes as those at Jets camp have expressed concerns about the team’s secondary. Lacking Gardner and highly touted rookie D’Angelo Ponds, the defense has allowed Geno Smith and rookie Cade Klubnik to beat them for numerous long touchdowns. 

However, safety Dane Belton and cornerback Brandon Stephens have both earned rave reviews throughout training camp. Belton is an offseason arrival from the Giants, and Stephens recorded nine broken passes, a forced fumble, and a career-high four TFLs in his first Jets season.

And the less that we hear about Fitzpatrick, the better. He turns 30 in November and is a three-time All-Pro safety. It’s not like Fitzpatrick has anything to prove beyond showing that he’s not headed for any age-related regression. 

Fitzpatrick remained a ballhawk in his reunion with the Dolphins, snagging an interception, forcing a fumble, and recovering another two fumbles. Anyone who voluntarily sat through either Jets-Dolphins game is not only far braver than us, but they saw that the five-time Pro Bowler can still make plays despite the mileage associated with nearly a decade in the league.

Besides, the national media has been so outspoken in criticizing the Jets that this is quite a victory. It’s not often that Jets players crack the top 10 of these positional rankings, let alone the top five. Let the good times roll!

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