BLOCKBUSTER REVERSE TRADE: Minkah Fitzpatrick Shipped to Steelers as Ramsey and Smith Return to Miami!
BLOCKBUSTER REVERSE TRADE: Minkah Fitzpatrick Shipped to Steelers as Ramsey and Smith Return to Miami!.
By Caleb Thompson, South Florida Sports Network
MIAMI GARDENS, FL (July 6, 2025) — In a shocking twist few saw coming, the Miami Dolphins have reversed course and pulled off one of the most controversial trades of the offseason: Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is heading back to the Pittsburgh Steelers, while CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith are returning to Miami, alongside a 2027 seventh-round pick. In return, the Dolphins are parting with Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Sources close to the deal describe it as a “strategic locker room reset” by head coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier, who reportedly weren’t fully convinced that Fitzpatrick’s return was yielding the veteran leadership and schematic fit they had anticipated.
> “Minkah’s return gave us flexibility, but Ramsey and Smith offer elite upside and familiarity with our vision,” Grier said in a statement. “We’re bringing back two proven leaders.”
THE TRADE DETAILS
DOLPHINS RECEIVE:
CB Jalen Ramsey
TE Jonnu Smith
2027 7th-Round Pick
STEELERS RECEIVE:
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
2027 5th-Round Pick
WHY MIAMI FLIPPED THE SCRIPT
Fitzpatrick’s second stint with Miami never fully clicked. Though productive on the stat sheet, multiple sources reported “philosophical tension” between the All-Pro safety and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, with some teammates viewing Minkah as “too individualistic in a team-first locker room.”
Ramsey’s departure earlier this offseason—reportedly due to internal conflict—now appears to have been overblown. According to a league source, Ramsey and McDaniel met privately in early June to “bury the hatchet,” leading to quick negotiations for his return.
> “I’m back where I belong,” Ramsey tweeted moments after the deal. “You can’t build a dynasty without dogs—and I’m the top dog in this yard.”
Jonnu Smith’s surprise inclusion further bolsters Miami’s offensive flexibility. While Darren Waller was recently acquired, Smith brings blocking prowess and a pre-established chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa that Waller lacks.
LEAGUE-WIDE REACTION
The NFL world is stunned. Analysts are divided. Some applaud Miami for correcting what they now call a “short-sighted gamble” on Fitzpatrick, while others question the optics of trading a top-tier safety only weeks after acquiring.
CAP & CULTURE MOVE
Financially, this re-trade leaves the Dolphins with more dead money in the short term, but positions them to retain continuity in a playoff-caliber core. Ramsey’s contract was restructured immediately upon rejoining the team, freeing nearly $6 million in cap space.
Internally, team sources say the front office believes Ramsey and Smith “never should have been traded in the first place” and viewed this move as righting a wrong.