Final week, Professional Soccer Speak’s Mike Florio detailed Tyreek Hill’s decaying contract simply hours earlier than the Miami Dolphins signed Jaylen Waddle to a three-year contract extension… there was a disturbance within the pressure.
Hill, 30, signed a four-year contract extension with the Dolphins, together with a $56 million cap quantity for 2026. Regardless of the excessive quantity, Miami can escape Hill’s contract after the 2025 season with $11 million in lifeless cash whereas saving $45 million in opposition to the cap.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Justin Jefferson to a four-year $140 million contract extension on Monday — one other main large receiver deal in an offseason that noticed Waddle, Amon-Ra St.Brown, and A.J. Brown all signal monster contracts. It’s simple to know Hill’s request after 3,509 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns since arriving in South Florida.
The hope for an extension leaves Dolphins common supervisor Chris Grier in a troublesome spot. Miami must signal quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a brand new contract, former first-round choose Jaelan Phillips is due for an extension, and security Jevon Holland will turn out to be a free agent following the 2024 season. Have I discussed that the Dolphins are $15 million over the 2025 wage cap?
It’s vital to do not forget that Miami reached the playoffs in each seasons since signing Hill. Upsetting the five-time First-team All-Professional can be lower than superb whereas pushing for the franchise’s first playoff win in over 20 years.
Grier faces powerful decisions and should stroll a superb line, however this isn’t the primary time he’s managed disgruntled superstars. Miami confronted an analogous scenario with cornerback Xavien Howard after signing former Dallas Cowboys defensive again Byron Jones to a five-year $82.5 million contract in 2020.
One key distinction, nonetheless, is Howard wasn’t pleased with the franchise. Hill continues to reward the franchise that traded two first-round picks for his providers.
“I want to retire in Miami, however everyone knows how the NFL is, how jobs go, and other people getting promotions over right here and — you recognize — we perceive that,” Hill mentioned on the Across the Bar Podcast. “However Miami is a superb metropolis, man. I like the workforce I play on, love the fellows within the locker room, love the top coach, love the GM. So meaning signal me. I like all you guys a lot, I wish to keep in Miami without end, man.
“Preserve me there.”
Howard publicly requested for a commerce and the Dolphins declined his request to maneuver $4 million round. All that mentioned, Miami and Howard nonetheless agreed on a re-structured contract that included $4.5 million in incentives earlier than the 2021 season.
Not solely that, the Dolphins and Howard settled remaining points the next offseason, reaching a five-year deal that included probably the most assured cash for a cornerback on the time.
Hill’s league-leading 1,799 receiving yards have been the seventh-most in a single season in NFL historical past and he’s caught 119 passes in each of the final two seasons. That have to be price a number of extra seasons as one of many league’s highest-paid large receivers — proper?
Solely the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Buffalo Payments have extra consecutive seasons than Miami with a profitable document. Hill’s been crucial to latest success and Grier’s observe document follows what ESPN’s Adam Schefter talked about Monday morning: The Dolphins will work out a strategy to regulate Hill’s deal.
