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Tyreek Hill…Charger?
After the firing of head coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins could potentially be seeing one of their former franchise players depart as well…well, maybe.
Tyreek Hill has already voiced his displeasure with the organization and franchise ever since he went down with a season ending injury. He has posted several tweets about the subject and with an expiring contract, is one of the candidates to depart the team.
However, with news that Mike McDaniel has found a new home in Los Angeles with the Chargers, Hill seemingly answered with intrigue on his X account.
While this could mean a number of things for Hill, it certainly seems that a departure is imminent, or even that Hill is giving the Dolphins one final ultimatum. It could also mean something more intriguing.
The McDaniel Connection and a Possible Reunion
While any franchise that is willing to acquire Hill this offseason must be willing to acquire the baggage that comes with him, the team that could have the most interest might just be the Chargers. After all, when Hill has been in McDaniel’s system, it has worked like a charm. Plus, Hill would be one of Herbert’s biggest weapons and a difference maker downfield as well.
When Hill joined the Dolphins in 2022, he had one of the most prolific stretches by a wide receiver in NFL history. During that time, he led the league in receiving yards, touchdowns, first downs, and yards per game. While tensions certainly shifted in 2024 in a crushing season finale loss to the Jets, it isn’t far fetched to think that the problems mainly lied with McDaniel.
Perhaps Hill’s main issue was with Tua, who hinted that Hill needed to “work that relationship up” in order to regain his trust. Yet, after an abysmal season, Tua was benched by the Dolphins and wants a swift exit himself.
Financial Hurdles and the Risk-Reward Equation
The potential roadblocks concerning a Hill trade could be many, first and foremost being that he is coming off of an injury, especially one that was season-ending and that did not occur in his prime. The Chargers may not even get the best version of Hill.
Second and most importantly, Hill will be a massive cap hit upwards of 20 million should the Chargers acquire him via trade. The only way the Chargers could get him at a more cost-effecitve rate would be if the Dolphins simply cut him. Still, for a team that has the most cap space in the NFL and many more holes to fill in their roster, Hill may not be appealing either way.
Still, there are ways that the Chargers could just pick him up for a one year flier and cut ties with him after 2026. They could throw a future draft pick into a trade with the Dolphins to absorb Hill’s final year. And with McDaniel now running the offense, he could be given free rein in making the decision.
The questions remain however: Is there still magic between Hill and McDaniel? How would Hill fit into a highly run-first offense? And most importantly, can Hill still perform at a high level?
While all these questions raise various concerns, Hill can still be an intriguing entity in the free agent market.
Christopher Sheppard Christopher Sheppard is a passionate and knowledgeable sports journalist based in Englewood, NJ pursuing a role in the sports media industry. He covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, focusing on the Dolphins, Chargers, and Buccanneers. More about Christopher Sheppard
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