Minkah Fitzpatrick is helping the Jets in more ways than just his on-field play

It feels like the acquisition of Minkah Fitzpatrick early in the offseason has gotten lost in the shuffle for the New York Jets, and it makes sense.

They landed him in a trade literally hours before the legal tampering period opened, and he would get somewhat lost in the shuffle of a fairly exciting offseason. The Jets signed multiple starters in free agency and then used three first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

But don't forget about Fitzpatrick, who figures to play a major role in the Jets' defense this season. New York hasn't had a talent like this manning their backend since the early days of Jamal Adams.

Not only will Fitzpatrick help the Jets with his talent on the field, but his pedigree, hard work, and mentality will hopefully rub off on some of the younger members of this mostly inexperienced team.

New York Jets DC Brian Duker praises Minkah Fitzpatrick's impact

After practice on Friday, the new Jets' defensive coordinator, Brian Duker, was asked about Fitzpatrick and what he has brought with him to New York.

"Minkah carries himself in a way that helps his teammates, like, he has leadership skills that permeate throughout the building, largely just the way he approaches his work every single day, and also has the confidence and the relationship, the connectivity to be able to pull some guys aside and kind of have some one-on-one conversations."

It's worth noting that Duker coached Fitzpatrick last year, when the two were both with the Miami Dolphins. The former pass game coordinator and secondary coach likely worked closely with the former All-Pro safety and already has a general idea of the benefits of his presence.

The Jets are hoping Fitzpatrick, along with Demario Davis, will help bring some stability to the defensive side of the ball. It's something they sorely lacked last year, especially after trading away Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner, who weren't prolific leaders in their own right.

Over his six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fitzpatrick tasted plenty of regular-season success and likely knows what it takes for a team to put together a winning season.

Does that necessarily mean he's going to help turn the Jets into a winner right away? Probably not, but he's going to help move them in the right direction.

At this point in team history, that's about all you can ask for from a big-ticket offseason addition.

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