MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins are sending All-Professional cornerback Jalen Ramsey, Professional Bowl tight finish Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round draft decide to the Pittsburgh Steelers in alternate for All-Professional security Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round decide.
Ramsey introduced the commerce Monday in a post on his X account. Each his illustration and the Dolphins, the place he spent the previous two seasons, had mutually agreed earlier this yr to half methods.
Neither Ramsey nor the Dolphins gave any perception into what went unsuitable. Dolphins normal supervisor Chris Grier mentioned in April that Ramsey didn’t ask for a commerce or extra money, however after weeks of conversations with Ramsey’s illustration, each side agreed that it will be greatest to maneuver on.
Fitzpatrick returns to the workforce that drafted him eleventh general in 2018. He had been displeased along with his position in Miami and requested a commerce earlier than being despatched to the Steelers in 2019.
The phrases have been agreed upon and are pending physicals.
The swap of Ramsey and Fitzpatrick, each three-time All-Professionals, marks the third time since at the very least 2002 that gamers who had beforehand been All-Professionals had been traded for one another, in line with Sportradar. The others had been star receiver DeAndre Hopkins (three All-Professionals) for working again David Johnson (1) in 2020, and tight finish Jimmy Graham (1) for heart Max Unger (1) in 2015.
Smith had top-of-the-line years of his profession in his lone season in Miami after signing a two-year deal as a free agent forward of the 2024 season. The veteran tight finish hoped that his profession yr may result in a brand new contract with the Dolphins, with whom he most well-liked to remain. He had been away from the workforce throughout its offseason program as he sought a brand new contract.
As an alternative, he’s re-joining Arthur Smith, presently the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh, whom he was with in Tennessee and Atlanta.
Smith will get a one-year contract extension value as a lot as $12 million for 2026, agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed.
Within the aftermath of the commerce, former Dolphins working again Raheem Mostert responded to the information with obvious criticism of his former workforce. Mostert was minimize in February by Miami after his least productive season with the workforce in 2024, one yr after making the Professional Bowl with the Dolphins.
“Scorching take: Be a Professional-bowler on the Dolphins, get handled like (expletive),” Mostert wrote on X in response to the trades. “Completely happy for my guys although! GO BALL OUT!!”
It’s the most recent in a sequence of retooling strikes the Steelers have made this offseason in hopes that 2025 gained’t finish equally as their previous few seasons. Pittsburgh has reached the playoffs 4 instances within the final 5 seasons, solely to be shortly eradicated in lopsided trend every time.
Since March, the Steelers have acquired two-time Professional Bowl large receiver DK Metcalf from Seattle, signed four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and now they’ve added two extra skilled veterans in Ramsey and Smith.
Buying and selling Fitzpatrick, who emerged as one of many NFL’s premier safeties in his six seasons in Pittsburgh, doubtless may release cash for the Steelers to re-sign star linebacker TJ Watt, who’s within the final yr of his deal and skipped the offseason program as he seeks a brand new contract.
For the Dolphins, dropping Smith is a big blow to their offense, which closely relied on the tight finish within the passing sport as groups restricted large performs from receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Smith’s 88 receptions and 884 receiving yards final season had been essentially the most by a good finish in franchise historical past.
The Dolphins did handle a necessity at security after starter Jevon Holland signed with the New York Giants in March, however they nonetheless will doubtless be on the hunt for a substitute for Ramsey so as to add a veteran to their principally younger cornerback group.
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AP Sports activities Writers Will Graves in Pittsburgh and Josh Dubow in San Francisco contributed to this report.
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