Just one game into the season, former New Jersey standout Minkah Fitzpatrick looks to be one of the first players jumping ship in Miami.

After the Dolphins’ season-opening 59-10 caning at the hands of the Ravens, which followed offseason chatter that the team planned on tanking, several players reportedly asked their agents to pursue trades to get out of Miami. The Dolphins have apparently told Fitzpatrick he can go.

Fitzpatrick – an Old Bridge (NJ) native – was the top high school player in New Jersey and a Parade All-American at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City before becoming a two-time national champion and two-time All-American at Alabama. He was the captain of the championship squad in 2017, winning the Bednarik (top defensive player) and Thorpe (top defensive back) awards.

The Dolphins’ first-round pick just a year ago – No. 11 overall – Fitzpatrick was supposed to be a linchpin of their rebuild. But ESPN reported on Thursday that the defensive back is no longer part of their long-term plan and they agreed to seek a trade – for the right price.

Last Sunday’s rout was the worst performance of Fitzpatrick’s brief NFL career. He reportedly felt that was partly due to position uncertainty: The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder was tasked with playing three or four different positions in the same game. Fitzpatrick has been told his role would continue to change. Now, he wants a change of scenery.

Fitzpatrick is in the second year of a four-year, $16,447,773 deal, so he could be a bargain for whatever team lands him. He already has received roughly 64% of that contract, according to OverTheCap.com, so a team that acquired him will owe him only about a third of his deal.

One team that could be looking to acquire the disgruntled safety would be the Cowboys, who are looking to upgrade the position. While the team’s executive vice president Stephen Jones wouldn’t cop to discussing Fitzpatrick specifically, he did tell 105.3 The Fan that Dallas has spoken with Miami very recently.

“We always… when you hear rumors, you get calls,” Jones said on his radio show. “You have conversations between myself, Jerry (Jones), Will (McClay). We’re always checking around and seeing what’s going on. We have a pretty steady diet of visiting with other teams. We’re always trying to improve our roster.”

Going to Dallas would be a big-time move for Fitzpatrick, who isn’t used to so much losing. He went 41-3 with two national titles at Alabama. The “Tanking for Tua” narrative that has surrounded the Dolphins – purposely tanking to land quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Fitzpatrick’s teammate on the 2017 squad – would likely sit ill with him.

“I wouldn’t disrespect the game with that,” first-year Miami coach Brian Flores had insisted, according to ESPN. “Again, no, we’re not [tanking]. We’re going to try to win every game.”