Miami Dolphins want Minkah Fitzpatrick to play safety full-time

The Miami Dolphins, according to a report, want Minkah Fitzpatrick to concentrate on playing just safety brining into question the future of others.

In 2018, the Miami Dolphins first round pick, Minkah Fitzpatrick played extremely well considering that he really didn’t play one position. He moved around from corner to nickel to slot to safety and even lined up as a linebacker once. Now the Dolphins reportedly want him to play one position.

"The Dolphins haven’t told Minkah Fitzpatrick whether he will play safety or cornerback this season.But they have decided that they would prefer he be a full-time safety long-term, according to a team source. – Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald"

If this is accurate then it brings into question the future of Reshad Jones or T.J. McDonald who currently are playing in the deep secondary. Fitzpatrick can play both positions and if the Dolphins intend to keep him back there, there won’t be room for all three.

Trading either McDonald or Jones would not be easy given their salaries. Jones is scheduled to count $17 million and change against the cap and McDonald will count just over $6 million. Of the two, McDonald’s salary is easier to eat in dead space.

If the Dolphins were to release or trade Jones they would carry $23 million in dead money if pre-June 1st if released and would carry $12 million if traded pre-June 1st. The cap savings if designated post-June 1st are not much better. It was a bad contract for the Dolphins from the start. The Dolphins would only save around $6 million.

McDonald on the other hand would only net the Dolphins just under $500,000 and would carry the rest of the contract in dead money. $6.4 million. A post June 1st release increases the savings to over $1 million with $4.9 million in dead money.

That contract too was a bad one for the Dolphins who extended him before he ever played a down in the regular season.

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There is the possibility and with the cap situation a likely one, that McDonald becomes the free roaming member of the secondary who plays closer to the line as a hybrid linebacker type. He has played that role before.

The defensive scheme that is being designed by Brian Flores and Patrick Graham relies heavily on multiple safeties and corners so there would be room for all three but it appears that Fitzpatrick could find himself playing one role which would be a good thing. Smart and prepared, Fitzpatrick would likely excel as a free or strong safety.

We will have to likely wait until training camp to actually see how this all works, especially if the Dolphins do keep Jones and McDonald.