Minkah Fitzpatrick has high praise for Jets breakout defender Dane Belton

Between a rash of injuries, a three-game losing streak, and the looming threat of miserable weather, New York Jets fans have little reason to feel good ahead of Sunday’s game against the AFC North-leading Cleveland Browns.

Veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t ready to wave the white flag yet, and he spent the week building up teammate Dane Belton. As questions rapidly mount about Aaron Glenn’s job security, the Jets have watched Belton — an offseason signee who spent his first four years with the Giants — emerge as one of the team’s few bright spots.

The 25-year-old Belton recorded 30 tackles and broke up two passes through the season’s first month. He’s played all of the Jets’ 267 defensive snaps while also contributing on special teams.

“There’s not a lot that he hasn’t seen, so he’s not really ever on his heels,” Fitzpatrick said. “He has a very aggressive demeanor when it comes to tackling, and he has a nose for the football as well.”

Should New York Jets fans be excited about the Minkah Fitzpatrick and Dane Belton duo?

The Jets are certainly getting plenty of bang for their buck in Belton, who signed a one-year deal with only $2 million guaranteed this past spring. He’s already positioned himself to earn a multi-year extension, and The Jet Press’ Charlie Baduini suggested the Iowa product could land a three-year contract worth nearly $25 million; those numbers are in line with what the Houston Texans gave Reed Blankenship earlier this year. 

It’s too bad, though, that Belton’s strong start comes amid fleeting joy. Nearly all of the preseason optimism surrounding the Jets has taken up residence in the gutter, and we’ve since resumed wondering whether Woody Johnson will dismiss Glenn before the year ends. 

As we argued earlier this week, Jets fans are tired of hearing about things being a “work in progress” and how they must believe in the future. So although the thought of Fitzpatrick and Belton being a dynamic safety partnership is appealing, the sobering reality is wondering if it’ll even matter. Based on what we’ve seen over the last three weeks, the 2026 Jets appear destined for another double-digit-loss season. 

Sunday offers another chance for Belton to build his stock, though we caution fans not to expect a midseason extension. Players in his situation who outpace their one-year, prove-it deal typically prefer to hit the open market and see how much guaranteed money they can squeeze from heavy spenders.

That said, the Jets never shy away from rewarding their top players, so we may very well see Belton stick around. By then, he’ll almost certainly know what it means to ink a long-term deal with one of the league’s most dysfunctional franchises, but guaranteed money speaks for itself.

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