Miami Dolphins trade Jalen Ramsey for Minkah Fitzpatrick and acquire Darren Waller in a July 2025 roster shakeup. See full details of the blockbuster deals.
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the NFL offseason was settling down, the Miami Dolphins detonated a couple of bombshells. In a whirlwind 48 hours, the team shipped out star cornerback Jalen Ramsey and brought back a familiar face in safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, while also adding a new offensive weapon by acquiring tight end Darren Waller from the Giants. It's a dramatic reshaping of the roster that signals a clear, albeit risky, new direction for 2025.
With roughly 45% of the roster turned over from last season, the Dolphins are betting big on change.
The biggest splash came Monday when the Dolphins sent seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In return, Miami re-acquired star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. While losing a talent like Ramsey hurts, the return of Fitzpatrick, a former Dolphin, bolsters the back end of the defense. The very next day, the team addressed the tight end vacancy by trading a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Giants for Darren Waller, who is coming out of retirement. If Waller can return to his Pro Bowl form, he represents a significant upgrade in the passing game.
These trades are the centerpiece of what's being called a 'reset year' in Miami. With approximately 45% roster turnover, the team looks vastly different. However, management is adamant this is not a rebuild. Key cornerstones like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Bradley Chubb remain, and the expectation from Head Coach Mike McDaniel is to compete for the division title. The strategy appears to be building around a formidable defense, now led by new coordinator Anthony Weaver and anchored by Fitzpatrick, while retooling the offense on the fly.
For the defense to truly be the team's strength, it will need its star pass rushers. The health of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, both recovering from ACL injuries, looms large over the season. Both are currently listed as questionable for Week 1, and their return timeline is a major variable for the team's success. The Dolphins will also be without offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea for the opener due to an undisclosed injury, while linebacker Jordyn Brooks (wrist) and receiver Tahj Washington (undisclosed) are also questionable.
This revamped roster will be tested early and often. The 2025 schedule features a gauntlet of five prime-time games, putting the Dolphins under the national spotlight. The action heats up quickly with a Week 3 Thursday Night Football showdown against the Bills, followed immediately by a Week 4 Monday Night Football clash with the Jets. Later in the season, Miami will face the Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals under the lights. The season kicks off on the road against the Indianapolis Colts, where the Dolphins will look to extend their four-game winning streak in season openers.
With all these moves made, the focus now shifts to mid-July and the start of training camp. How will Minkah Fitzpatrick fit into Anthony Weaver's new defense? Can Darren Waller recapture his Pro Bowl form? Will Phillips and Chubb be ready to go? The answers will begin to surface on the practice fields, as the Dolphins gear up to prove that this 'reset' is actually a reload for a serious playoff run.
