Patriots early-season opponents swing blockbuster trade

The New England Patriots will face two of the top defensive backs in football early in the 2025 season. However, after Monday the order they'll face them have changed.

On Monday morning the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers put together one of the biggest blockbuster trades of the offseason. The swaps cornerback Jalen Ramsey - who had reported been on the trade block for a few months - for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Overall Miami sends Ramsey, former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 seventh-round pick to Pittsburgh for Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

This deal sends Fitzpatrick back to Miami, where he began his career after being drafted 11th overall in 2018. The Dolphins traded him to the Steelers just two games into his second NFL season after an offseason coaching change, and Fitzpatrick has since had five Pro Bowl and three All-Pro seasons with the Steelers.

Meanwhile it's another big deal for the Steelers, who started the offseason by trading for wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Ramsey is the second significant cornerback addition the team has made this offseason, along with signing free agent Darius Slay. They'll still have to replace Fitzpatrick at safety - they did sign Juan Thornhill in free agency.

The Patriots will get an early look at both players on their new teams. They visit the Dolphins in Week 2, they host the Steelers in Week 3.

Fitzpatrick has faced the Patriots five times in his career - three times in Miami and twice in Pittsburgh. He's recorded 34 tackles with one for a loss with two interceptions and three pass breakups plus a forced fumble, but his teams are 1-4 in those games.

Ramsey has faced the Patriots six times - five in the regular season (three times with the Dolphins, once with the Rams, and once with the Jaguars) and once in the playoffs (with the Jaguars). He has 18 tackles with four pass breakups and an interception. His team has won all five of the regular season meetings, but he was on the losing end of the 2017 AFC Championship Game.

The game against the Steelers will also be the Patriots' latest matchup against Smith, who not only played in New England for two years in 2021 and 2022 but began his career playing for new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee from 2017-2020. Last year, the Patriots had trouble containing Smith in their first matchups against him since trading him away. In the first meeting between the Patriots and Dolphins he caught five passes for 62 yards, then had nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown in the second matchup.