The Dallas Cowboys allowed the second-most passing touchdowns in the NFL last season (35), which only trailed the New York Jets. With new defensive coordinator Christian Parker taking over for Matt Eberflus, a lot of changes need to be made, especially at the safety position.
Safety has been a long-standing issue for Dallas, and it is at the forefront once again. With Donovan Wilson becoming an unrestricted free agent and Malik Hooker viewed as a cut candidate with one foot already out the door, a recent development from the Miami Dolphins is worth keeping an eye on.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Dolphins have had "trade talks with teams regarding five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick." This comes after Miami released four players earlier this week, including Tyreek Hill, as it is currently in the early stages of resetting the roster under a new regime.
With Wilson not guaranteed to return and Hooker inching closer to his Cowboys exit after struggling to make much of an impact during the 2025 season, it would make sense for Dallas to target someone with the experience that Fitzpatrick has.
Minkah Fitzpatrick Trade Could Benefit Struggling Cowboys Secondary
There was not much for Cowboys fans to be pleased about with the duo of Wilson and Hooker. The two were fourth and sixth, respectively, in total tackles on the team in 2025, but while Wilson had two interceptions and a forced fumble, Hooker accomplished even less, failing to record an interception for the first time since joining the Cowboys in the 2021 season.
With Parker taking over the defense, Hooker's stock is certainly crashing down, especially with a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 60.8, which ranked 66th out of 98 qualified safeties in 2025. When you consider that no eligible safety allowed more yards per reception (19.7) than Hooker last season, it is hard to see him returning.
That's even truer knowing that the Cowboys can free up over $6.9 million in cap space by trading or cutting Hooker this offseason, per Spotrac.
Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, had the third-most tackles for the Dolphins in 2025 (82). In addition, he had four tackles for loss, six passes defended, one interception, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. With 690 career tackles and 21 interceptions in his eight NFL seasons, he would be an excellent addition to the Cowboys' secondary.
The Cowboys could even pair him with a rookie safety, which would instantly look better than the Hooker-Wilson tandem. Prospects like Oregon's Dillon Thieneman and Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could be on Dallas' radar early in the draft, especially if bolstering the defense is a top priority.
It is also worth noting that Cowboys fans wanted Fitzpatrick before the trade deadline. Even though Dallas didn't end up attempting a trade, owner/general manager Jerry Jones could circle back to the possibility, especially with the Dolphins' asking price likely to come down.
A potential deal would see the Cowboys take on $15.6 million in non-guaranteed money, per Spotrac, meaning some financial juggling would be needed. Still, the effort would be worth it for what the three-time All-Pro safety brings to the table.
After another season without a playoff appearance, it is clear the Cowboys still have some work to do, particularly on defense. With the unknowns surrounding their secondary and at safety, a potential trade for Fitzpatrick could be a good starting point to turning things around, and one that most fans likely would not have an issue with.