In one year’s time and one trade later, a clear difference in leadership between Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and former cornerback Jalen Ramsey has already been clear in the course of a whopping six days of preseason camp.
The Dolphins gave Fitzpatrick a revised contract on Sunday, the sixth day of preseason camp for the full team. The Dolphins added a $16.2 million signing bonus to his contract and bumped his salary $2 million for 2025, meaning he will make $17.5 million this year and $15.6 million next. His contract expires after 2026, and no additional years were added.
FITZPATRICK A PRO’S PRO
If anyone has had a complaint with Fitzpatrick since he was traded to Miami less than a month ago, it’s the media on the beat. Nobody is certain whether his reluctance has been related or unrelated to the contract issue, but it’s been the only possible sign he has had any dissatisfaction with being in Miami.
In the meantime, he’s been praised by coaches and teammates, and on Day 1 was seen in the middle of the defense after a period of practice indoors, hand held high to lead the break like he has been leading this team since he was drafted here and never left.
He also made a spectacular interception in practice on Saturday, the first of this season in front of fans.
RAMSEY FALLOUT STARTED ABOUT THIS TIME LAST YEAR
Ramsey – who just met with Steelers media himself four days ago — reported to Dolphins camp last year but was reportedly suffering from a hamstring injury that kept him from practicing.
The “injury” lingered all the way up until Wednesday of the week leading into Week 1, September 5th.
On September 6th, Ramsey signed a contract extension via a three-year, $72.3 million deal that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.
On September 8th, he was listed as questionable for the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars and on the 9th, he started.
A ruse. All to claim the title of “highest-paid cornerback.”
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MINKAH AND RAMSEY
The biggest difference between the two situations is who was affected.
Again, nobody knows that Fitzpatrick has been actively avoiding the media so as not to speak about his desires, but if that’s the case, whoopdeedoo. We will all survive.
Ramsey chose not to be on the practice fields with his teammates for over a month, rejoining them only on gameday and only after he got more money. The result – a 2-6 start and a locker room reportedly in disarray after Week 4 and a 31-12 loss to Tennessee – could be just as simple as a team in dysfunction because of selfishness.
Ramsey has been shipped off, reportedly over beef with head coach Mike McDaniel. Fitzpatrick’s new contract not only satiates him without any damage, but also frees up nearly $11 million in cap space, possibly for the team to re-do another team-first stalwart, Zach Sieler.
When you think back to this trade and its effect, it has already been publicly visible a difference between two players in the defensive backfield that certainly must affect things in Miami’s locker room, something it has self-admittedly been in need of.
“He’s just he’s a professional, obviously a veteran guy who’s made a lot of plays,” said fellow safety and newcomer Ashtyn Davis. “And just learning the game within the game from him, how to watch film … right now we’re in the game playing it against ourselves, but you know seeing tendencies and just you know picking up whatever I can from his habits and how he studies, how he goes about his business.”
When the season comes to a close, look not at how many interceptions Fitzpatrick has versus Ramsey, but instead what type of team he has around him in Miami and what his presence does for those around him. Because the likelihood is that type of change will end up in an ultimate change in wins and losses.
Aqua & Coral Report 