Before it takes to minicamp, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and general manager Chris Grier took care of serious business on Friday in signing first-round safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was first to report the information (citing sources), as the former University of Alabama standout agreed to terms on a four-year, $16.4 million contract with a $10 million signing bonus. Miami selected Fitzpatrick with the 11th overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft in hopes that the New Jersey native can take its defense to another level.
The #Dolphins signed 1st rounder Minkah Fitzpatrick to a 4-year, $16.4M deal, source said. He gets a $10M signing bonus.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 1, 2018
He has made strides throughout organized team activities and per multiple reports, Dolphins head coach Adam Gase seems to be very impressed. Fitzpatrick anchored a Crimson Tide defense last season that accomplished a national championship, despite a ton of injuries.
The 6-foot, 204-pound defender totaled 60 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, eight pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and one interception in 2017, en route to him receiving first team All-American and All-SEC honors. Fitzpatrick’s performance also guided him to winning both Jim Thorpe (nation’s top defensive back) and Chuck Bednarik (college football’s defensive player of the year) awards. His career at Alabama ended with nine interceptions – school record – while he registered a time of 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
He won two College Football Playoff national titles (2015, 2017) and a pair of Southeastern Conference championships (2015, 2016) in Tuscaloosa, but now Fitzpatrick can achieve the ultimate dream of taking a professional franchise to the playoffs and winning a Super Bowl.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
