WALDRON GRAIN & FUEL

03/09 11:09 CDT Jets acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick from Dolphins and signing him to $40M extension, AP source says Jets acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick from Dolphins and signing him to $40M extension, AP source says By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming home and filling a major need for the New York Jets. The three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl safety and New Jersey native is being acquired by the Jets from the Miami Dolphins, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. One of the people said New York will sign Fitzpatrick to a three-year, $40 million contract extension. The Jets will send a seventh-round pick in this year's draft to the Dolphins in the deal, according to the people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade can't become official until the start of the NFL's new league year on Wednesday. The deal, first reported by ESPN, should immediately help the Jets, who became the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception. The 29-year-old Fitzpatrick, who had one year left on his contract with the Dolphins worth a non-guaranteed $15.6 million, was born in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and went to high school in Jersey City --- about 25 miles from the Jets' training facility in Florham Park and less than 10 from MetLife Stadium, his new playing home. It's the second major trade this offseason for the Jets, who are looking to upgrade their defense in coach Aaron Glenn's second season. New York acquired nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat from Tennessee for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson last month. Glenn fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks with three games left in the season and hired Brian Duker in January to oversee the defense, but he said he would call the plays this coming season. Duker and new safeties coach Ryan Slowik both came from Miami's staff and have familiarity with Fitzpatrick. Safety was an area the Jets were expected to address in free agency, with Malachi Moore --- who was solid in 14 starts as a rookie --- the only player on the roster with significant playing time. Andre Cisco and Tony Adams, both of whom have been starters, are set to be free agents. Fitzpatrick has 21 career interceptions, although he had only one in 14 games this past season for the Dolphins. The deal comes on a day Miami announced it is moving on from Tua Tagovailoa as its quarterback. The team announced that Tagovailoa, who has been the main starter for the last 5 1/2 seasons, would be released. Fitzpatrick was the 11th overall pick by the Dolphins in 2018 out of Alabama, where he helped the Crimson Tide win two national titles. He was traded by Miami two games into his second season to Pittsburgh, where he became one of the top players in the league at his position. Fitzpatrick spent most of six seasons with the Steelers, making the All-Pro team three times while picking off 18 passes during that time. He became the NFL's highest-paid safety in 2022, when he signed a four-year, $73.6 million extension with the Steelers. Fitzpatrick was traded back to the Dolphins last June in a blockbuster deal, going to Miami along with a 2027 fifth-round pick for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-rounder. ___ AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds and Alanis Thames contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL