Tyreek Hill contract standoff could be on the horizon

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill wants to be paid what he's worth, or at least what he feels he's worth. It's why Hill pushed back against the contract that the Kansas City Chiefs offered him in 2022, which ultimately resulted in an unexpected trade to the Dolphins.

Hill hasn't slowed down since moving to Miami — in fact, he's been even more productive with the Dolphins than he ever was with the Chiefs. Hill tied his career high in receptions in both 2022 and 2023 with 119, and he topped 1,700 receiving yards in both of those seasons, with his 1,799 receiving yards in 2023 being his career-high in yards. It's no coincidence that since Hill's arrival, the Dolphins have made the playoffs for the past two seasons, with their 2022 postseason appearance being their first in six years.

When Hill signed his deal with the Dolphins in 2022, he became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Initially, it was conceived as a four-year deal worth $120 million with an average salary of $30 million. But due to how his contract was structured, Hill is receiving closer to $25 million per year through the first three years, which ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio believes may push the 29-year-old receiver to renegotiate for a higher salary.

Tyreek Hill may want a bigger contract with the Dolphins

As with every other NFL player contract, the payment per year varies in order to capitulate to salary cap restrictions. While Hill's deal was touted with an average salary of $30 million per year, that's disproportionately weighted by the final year of his contract in 2026. That year, Hill is slated to earn $45 million, creating a $56.3 million cap hit and taking up nearly 20% of the team's salary cap that season. Florio points this out as a "ridiculously unrealistic" option for the Dolphins, one that the team can be expected to renegotiate before 2026.

Removing the 2026 salary from the equation, Hill's deal is actually worth $75 million over three years, which comes out to an average salary of $25 million per season. Hill raked in around $26 million in cash through the past two seasons, but this year, that number dips to $19.7 million. Spotrac flags this point in the deal as a potential out for everyone involved: Hill would walk away with a total of $73 million, while the Dolphins would be saddled with $22.6 million in dead cap.

Florio imagines Hill must be frustrated by his contract structure, but as he points out, the details of this deal have been clear from the beginning. Hill is one of NFL super agent Drew Rosenhaus' many clients, which means this deal was carefully negotiated by a seasoned expert who's looking to make as much money as possible for his clients.

However, the NFL market changes quickly, and Hill's historic deal — without that final contract year — has already been outmatched in annual value by A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Nico Collins. Hill cryptically said recently when professing his love for the Dolphins that the team should "sign" him and "keep" him in Miami, even though he's technically signed on until 2027.

It's possible Hill and his team could go back to the negotiating table, especially after what Hill's brought to the table in Miami over the past two years. But Hill's also proven to be a team player in Miami, so he may be willing to take a team-friendly deal if he feels valued.

If Hill did want a massive contract to finish out his NFL career, he would have to decide soon whether or not that would be with the Dolphins. Hill will turn 30 this year, and it's rare to see elite wide receivers play beyond the age of 35.

Hill could push for a little more in Miami and retire there, which is what he's said he wants to do, but he's running out of time if he truly wants to take his talents elsewhere for a bigger price tag. As time goes on, wide receivers will top Hill's massive deal, and he won't be the highest-paid receiver despite all he has to offer. That's just part of the game.