The Patriots have the fortune of watching other teams across the league tear it down and start all over, something they have been doing over the last five years, and hopefully, can benefit from the players they choose to move on from.
That's the case with the Dolphins right now, who have already released a handful of players in their hopes of rebuilding their team, and now there is talk of shopping their five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who they just acquired last season via trade.
Because they need as much draft capital as possible, or even trade away their best players in hopes of getting equal or better talent in return, Miami is willing to part ways with Fitzpatrick already, and that means the Patriots could swoop in and take him.
Although division trades aren't common, there's a good chance New England could make the best offer. It would be foolish for Miami to refuse, and that could come in handy if they're unwilling or unable to reach an agreement on a new extension for pending free agent Jaylinn Hawkins.
The Patriots have a chance to bolster their secondary even more with a trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick
With a new head coach ready to do what it takes to get the team to be competitive again, the Dolphins are looking to improve their roster with some big moves to kick off free agency, which could potentially include trading away Fitzpatrick.
The Patriots aren't in dire need of massive upgrades in their safety room, but they do have a big decision make regarding Hawkins' future, and because he played impressively during the 2025 season, putting together the best season of his career, it's inevitable that teams will be calling and willing to pay him a hefty amount.
If they're not willing to match that or offer something better, we could see Hawkins in a different uniform next season.
With that possibility in mind, Vrabel and Co. could look more seriously into acquiring Fitzpatrick, who still had a standout 2025 season and would immediately become an asset for an already star-studded secondary.
In 14 games, he recorded 82 combined tackles, four for a loss, two quarterback hits, one interception, six passes defended, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a sack. That's nearly identical to the stat line that Hawkins put up this past year, so there wouldn't be a significant dropoff if Fitzpatrick is in and Hawkins is out.
Even better, Fitzpatrick has a proven track record as a consistent performer throughout his career, earning five Pro Bowl nods and three All-Pro honors. He might not be a spring chicken at 29 years old, but he's a proven talent that the Patriots should certainly consider, and now is their best chance to do that.