The Miami Dolphins have done well to address their holes on the defensive side of the football. But there is still another glaring need looming on the depth chart — the vacancy left behind by the trade of defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Bobby McCain currently holds the free safety role down and 2019 UDFA Nik Needham is presumably the team’s nickel corner. But if Miami were to acquire a free safety or safety hybrid this offseason, that dynamic may change and the Dolphins secondary may look totally different.
There’s a viable candidate in this year’s NFL Draft, a player who is likely to be available when the Dolphins come on the clock with the second of their three 1st-round picks.
Alabama safety Xavier McKinney.
The suggestion of another Alabama safety may understandably cause some concern among Dolphins fans. After all, Fitzpatrick was widely regarded as an A+ character individual with a high football IQ and served as one of former Dolphins coach Nick Saban’s star pupils. Yet all of that versatility and high character couldn’t prevent Fitzpatrick from pouting and demanding a trade last September after a rough start to the 2019 season left the Dolphins staring down a dreadful season.
The rest is history, because Fitzpatrick was traded and Miami may poetically find themselves in a position to draft his replacement with the pick they acquired to earn him in the first place. Should Miami be worried about bad blood or a repeat offense? Not at all. Six months after Minkah Fitzpatrick demanded a trade out of Miami, the Dolphins saw OL Ted Karras take less money to play for the Dolphins than what he was being offered by his old team — the New England Patriots.
The times have changed. The Dolphins are no longer a barren wasteland of bad talent and miserable football. There’s tangible energy around this organization and McKinney would flourish under Flores with his skills. He’s a better tackler than Fitzpatrick. He’s not quite as dynamic in coverage, but he may be just as a smart. There’s enough here to warrant strong consideration if the stars align and he’s on the board when Miami is picking.
The Dolphins could make this pick, add more versatility on the back end and finalize a secondary that anyone would be proud to be apart of. Well, except for maybe Minkah Fitzpatrick.