Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has made it no secret that he is watching other elite NFL pass catchers getting well-deserved paydays.
Speaking with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Hill expressed his happiness for those other receivers and mentioned that he, too, would like a new deal.
The Dolphins finished the 2023 season 11-6 and exited the first round in a frigid affair against the Kansas City Chiefs. A successful 2024 campaign will be based around earning playoff home games in sunny Miami, which means their high-powered offense will need to win as many as possible in the regular season in hopes of getting that first-round bye and home-field throughout the AFC playoffs.
A healthy (and happy) Hill will be the answer to a successful 2024 for the Fins.
Tyreek Hill Has Earned Another Raise
The offense moves through him and his elite speed
As Hill mentioned, wide receiver and teammate Jaylen Waddle earned a three-year, $84.75 million deal, including $76 million in guaranteed money.
Of the top five highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL, Hill is the oldest, at 30, with the next closest being the Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown, who is only 27. Hill signed a new contract in 2022, a four-year, $120M deal that made him the highest-paid WR at the time. His cap hit this season is expected to be about $31M, 12% of the Dolphins’ salary cap.
The Dolphins, who do have enough money to play with, need to ask themselves: is it worth giving Hill a raise to keep him happy?
The Dolphins could still raise Hill’s salary while spreading the cap hits in future years. The team would sacrifice potential rollover money, but he is their most important skill position player and, arguably, the most important player on the team—period.
His arrival in 2022 and continued dominance in 2023 have proven that he is the reason behind success of the passing game, and his threat down the field opened up a surprisingly effective running game, which finishe fifth in total rushing, first in rushing TDs, and first in yards per rush last year.
With quarterback Tua Tagovailoa entering the final year of his contract and looking for a new deal as well, it will be very interesting to see how the Dolphins manage to keep this team happy. And if they sign Tagovalioa, and Hill is left seeking a trade, how confident are the Dolphins of winning without Hill?
That last thing the Dolphins want from their star veteran is a dreaded holdout.
Source: Click2Houston
All statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless stated otherwise. All salary info via Spotrac.
