Why trading Tyreek Hill is a good move for the Chiefs

This trade does make the Chiefs worse today, but in the long run, this blockbuster trade benefited the Kansas City tremendously. 

On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs traded star receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for multiple draft picks.

Hill has been a game-changing receiver for the Chiefs since being drafted in 2016. This offseason his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, had been in contract talks with the Chiefs for weeks. However, with Davante Adams being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders and subsequently getting an $140 million deal over five years, Hill’s price inevitably went up.

Upon completion of the trade, the Dolphins gave Hill four years for $120 million including $72 million guaranteed. In return for Hill, the Dolphins relinquished five draft picks including a first and second in 2022, along with a pair of fourth-round choices over the next two years and a 2023 sixth-round pick.

The Chiefs made a smart move by trading Tyreek Hill

Kansas City is entering a time where Patrick Mahomes is eating up a lot of cap space, and because of that, major pieces will have to be sacrificed.

Cap space was a bit tight for the Chiefs prior to this trade happening with only $8 million available to spend. Trading Hill opened up $20 million in cap space.

So what now? There are still very competent options on the free-agent market, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Bobby Wagner, edge rusher Carlos Dunlap and corner Stephon Gilmore are all players the Chiefs can make a move for. Kansas City may not be as explosive offensively, but the team could have more depth and be better overall.

Another reason this trade makes sense is the draft haul. Compare that to the Green Bay Packers who traded Adams away for two picks. To have sustained success in this league, sometimes it is better to move on from a player when his value is astronomically high.

Hill is coming off a season where he caught 111 passes for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns. Selling him on his historical production over the last few years is a smart move by the Chiefs. Paying $30 million annually for a receiver would hold the Chiefs captive. Kansas City would not be able to be aggressive in free agency, and if it were to do so, it would result in moving money around into future years, keeping Kansas City in a ruthless cycle.

With this trade, Kansas City has consecutive picks in the first round, four picks inside the top 62, and eight out of the top 135 picks. The Chiefs have an opportunity to address multiple needs and build depth across the roster.

This trade also allows the Chiefs to possibly draft Hill’s replacement in the first couple of rounds. Kansas City does not necessarily need to draft a wideout in the first round. There is plenty of depth at the receiver position in the draft. In addition, as good as Hill is, he’s 28 years old and expensive.

The Chiefs are worse today on paper, but Kansas City has the ability to build the best roster it has had with Mahomes.