Leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft, there was much talk about the Miami Dolphins possibly moving up from the 11th overall pick. However, all of that chatter went out of the door with the franchise electing to take former Alabama Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick with the selection.
According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, this move almost didn't happen due to team owner Stephen Ross stepping in to possibly push down the board to save money on a first-round pick before being convinced overwise.
A well-placed league source tells us that the Dolphins had the pick of Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick all ready to go at No. 11 when owner Stephen Ross stepped in and implored his team to trade back, both to acquire more picks and to save money on the first-rounder. Ross’s football people talked him out of it, and the Dolphins went ahead with the Fitzpatrick pick.
The Dolphins front office likely had to make a strong verbal case to take Fitzpatrick by vouching that he had superstar potential to avoid having to move down due to Ross' request. The Alabama product was widely regarded as being one of the top defensive talents in this year's draft class that many analysts believe can become an All-Pro talent at the next level.
Meanwhile, this all signals ownership has been serious in cutting down payroll this offseason that saw them part ways with star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to get out of the final three years of his six-year, $114.3 million deal with the team where he scheduled to make around $76.6 million over that span. The team also traded Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns shortly after placing a franchise tag worth nearly $16 million.
If anything, this could lead to the team being more salary cap friendly moving forward with ownership looking to cut down their annual payroll.
Follow Us
Subscribe