Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has been angling for a new contract since the end of the season, and the flurry of other wide outs landing new deals (including his teammate Jaylen Waddle) has surely only strengthened his desire to strike a revised pact with the team.
Hill is under contract through 2026, so it’s not like he wants a fresh contract to secure a future in Miami. He simply wants to get paid more. Based on the fact that Justin Jefferson just landed a four-year, $140 million deal from the Minnesota Vikings, it’s not hard to understand why.
But a solution could simply be moving around some money in Hill’s current deal, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.
Hill is slated to earn $19.8 million this coming season, $22.9 million the following year and $45 million in 2026. His 2024 salary is fully guaranteed.
So, how could the Dolphins make Hill’s deal more appealing to him? They could make the it $29.23 million over the next three seasons and make the first two years of the contract guaranteed. That would provide Hill with some more security, and while it wouldn’t bump his average annual value, it would at least make it so that his yearly pay is more evenly distributed.
Think about it: Jefferson is set to earn $35 million per year, so Hill making $29 million in 2024 certainly looks a heck of a lot better than a tick under $20 million.
If Hill wants more money, Miami could add another year or two to the back end of the deal, Florio notes. Of course, in that case, that last year or two would surely not be fully guaranteed.
The Dolphins should try to keep Tyreek Hill happy
Hill has completely changed things for the Dolphins.
Prior to Hill’s arrival in 2022, Miami had made just two playoff appearances the preceding two decades. However, the Dolphins have gone on to make the postseason each of the last two years, and while they are still without a playoff win since January 2001, it’s absolutely a massive step in the right direction.
Hill hauled in 119 receptions and led the NFL in both receiving yards (1,799) and receiving touchdowns (13) in 2023, making his eight straight trip to the Pro Bowl and earning his fifth First-Team All-Pro selection to boot.
Miami acquired the 30-year-old in a blockbuster trade with the Kansas City Chiefs two years ago. He caught 119 passes for 1,710 yards and seven scores during his debut campaign in South Beach.
Obviously, Hill’s situation is a bit different from receivers like Jefferson, A.J. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown, as he is on the wrong side of 30. The other wide outs are all in their mid 20s, so they certainly have a longer road ahead of them. Hill probably won’t get any better at this point. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be shocking if he begins to decline over the next couple of seasons.
However, based on how dominant Hill has been and how much he has changed the course of direction for the Dolphins, he deserves to be taken care of by the organization. Chances are, Miami will accommodate him.
