Minkah Fitzpatrick permitted to seek trade from Dolphins

MIAMI, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- The Miami Dolphins have given Minkah Fitzpatrick permission to seek a trade.

Sources told NFL Network and ESPN that Miami gave Fitzpatrick's agent, Joel Segal, permission to speak with other NFL teams and that Segal had been in contact with several teams. Segal told UPI he had no comment on the reports.

Fitzpatrick is unhappy with how he is being used by the Dolphins. The No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft had 80 tackles, nine passes defensed, two interceptions and a touchdown in 16 games for the Dolphins during his rookie season. He had five tackles in the Dolphins' Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Alabama product split time at safety and slot cornerback during the 2018 season. Fitzpatrick also played multiple roles in Week 1. His mother criticized the team for playing him out of position in the preseason.

"She's not wrong," Fitzpatrick said after his mom made the comment on Twitter. "Coach has asked me to do something right now. I got to do what they ask me to do. If we have to have some discussions in the future, we'll have those discussions. I'm not 215 pounds, 220 pounds. So, playing in the box isn't best suited for me, but that's what coach is asking me to do."

Fitzpatrick said after Sunday's loss that he still wants to be with the Dolphins.

"I want to play football," Fitzpatrick said. "It hasn't been like this, but I've lost games before. Like I said, all I can control is my attitude, the joy that I have for this game and the passion for this game and that's it."

The Dolphins battle the New England Patriots at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday in Miami. Fitzpatrick is listed with the second team on the Dolphins' Week 2 depth chart.