Tua Tagovailoa deal done; Are Miami Dolphins willing to give receiver Tyreek Hill a raise?
MIAMI GARDENS — That streak along the sideline during Miami Dolphins practice Monday was Tyreek Hill.
Those bodies desperately attempting to keep up with the elusive receiver were Siran Neal and Elijah Campbell.
Neither had a chance as Skylar Thompson's 61-yard pass settled nicely into Hill's hands and the crowd cheered as if the play had happened at Hard Rock Stadium in November, not on the the fifth day of preseason camp.
None the less, it illustrates why the Dolphins' true best player now is looking to creep closer to their highest paid player with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's whopping contract settled.
All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill wants a bigger slice of pie, just one year after happily signing a four-year, $120 million contract. The question is, how much is he worth to the Dolphins?
The answer is complicated.
Hill's extraordinary talent and value to this offense — and his part in helping Tua land that four-year, $212.4 million extension — are unquestioned. But his age (30), inconsistent statements and his history of off-field issues also must come into play.
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Tyreek has not spoken since Tua's deal was announced, but he made his feelings known by tweeting a smiling face emoji on his social media account. When Hill addressed the media prior to the start of camp, he was clear he is seeking a contract adjustment or extension. He also said he wants to finish his career in Miami and does not want to go through another situation like he did in Kansas City when the Chiefs traded him to the Dolphins after they were unwilling to meet his contract demands.
But we all know how that can change when money is involved.
Tyreek tells ESPN Dolphins 'will do what's right' on a new deal
Hill recently said on ESPN he knows the Dolphins "will do what's right" when it comes to a new deal.
"I'm very content with where I'm at right now," Hill said. "My mindset and my focus right now is making sure that I'm able to help this team win it all, which is the Super Bowl, and I'm real content with that."
Until he's not.
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Hill has three years remaining on his contract, but will never see it to the end because of the way it's structured. He's due about $19.7 million this year and $24 million in 2025. The $45 million for 2026 is written in to increase the average to $30 million, which made him the NFL's highest paid receiver when it came to annual average.
It's an ego thing.
Hill either will be restructured, traded or released before 2026.
And when that deal was signed in 2023 Hill said, "I'm going to finish out this contract with the Dolphins and then I'm going to call it quits."
Or he isn't.
Hill's salary behind Justin Jefferson, A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown
Hill was very happy to be the NFL's highest paid receiver when it comes to annual average, no matter how much that $30 million number is artificial.
But since, Minnesota's Justin Jefferson ($35 million), Philadephia's A.J. Brown ($32 million) and Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown ($30.002 million) have passed him in average annual salary. Hill now is fourth and that soon will drop when Dallas' CeeDee Lamb and Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase sign new deals.
Hill led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns last season. He is a five-time All-Pro, including both seasons in Miami.
"He has all these accolades but he goes at it," Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins No. 2 receiver, said Monday. "Same approach every day. Nobody can guard him. Nobody is better than him."
The Dolphins could restructure the current deal, giving Hill some of that Year 4 money this year and in 2025 just to keep him happy.
That may be the best solution rather than extending a player, who turned 30, past 2027.
"I love the team I play on, love the guys in the locker room, love the head coach, love the G.M.," Hill said in the spring. "So that means sign me. I love all you guys so much, I want to stay in Miami forever, man. Keep me there.”
The Dolphins may have no choice. But then again, the Chiefs have done OK since they decided it wasn't worth messing with Hill's demands.
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and golf reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tua Tagovailoa's new deal puts Tyreek Hill next up for Miami Dolphins
