Will Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier do what’s needed to keep Tyreek Hill happy?
Last week, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio detailed Tyreek Hill’s decaying contract just hours before the Miami Dolphins signed Jaylen Waddle to a three-year contract extension… there was a disturbance in the force.
Hill, 30, signed a four-year contract extension with the Dolphins, including a $56 million cap number for 2026. Despite the high number, Miami can escape Hill’s contract after the 2025 season with $11 million in dead money while saving $45 million against the cap.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Justin Jefferson to a four-year $140 million contract extension on Monday — another major wide receiver deal in an offseason that saw Waddle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and A.J. Brown all sign monster contracts. It’s easy to understand Hill’s request after 3,509 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns since arriving in South Florida.
The hope for an extension leaves Dolphins general manager Chris Grier in a tough spot. Miami needs to sign quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a new contract, former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips is due for an extension, and safety Jevon Holland will become a free agent following the 2024 season. And to add to the complexity, the Dolphins are currently $15 million over the 2025 salary cap.
It’s crucial to remember that Miami reached the playoffs in both seasons since signing Hill. Upsetting the five-time First-team All-Pro would be less than ideal while pushing for the franchise’s first playoff win in over 20 years.
Grier faces tough choices and must walk a fine line, but this isn’t the first time he’s managed disgruntled superstars. Miami faced a similar situation with cornerback Xavien Howard after signing former Dallas Cowboys defensive back Byron Jones to a five-year $82.5 million contract in 2020.
One key difference, however, is Howard wasn’t happy with the franchise. Hill continues to praise the franchise that traded two first-round picks for his services.
“I would like to retire in Miami, but we all know how the NFL is, how jobs go, and people getting promotions over here and — you know — we understand that,” Hill said on the Around the Bar Podcast. “But Miami is a great city, man. I love the team I play on, love the guys in the locker room, love the head coach, love the GM. So that means sign me. I love all you guys so much, I want to stay in Miami forever, man.
“Keep me there.”
Howard publicly asked for a trade, and although the Dolphins initially declined his request, they eventually restructured his contract, including $4.5 million in incentives before the 2021 season. Furthermore, the Dolphins and Howard settled remaining issues the following offseason, reaching a five-year deal that included the most guaranteed money for a cornerback at the time.
Hill’s league-leading 1,799 receiving yards were the seventh-most in a single season in NFL history, and he’s caught 119 passes in both of the last two seasons. With such impressive performance, it’s reasonable to expect him to remain one of the league’s highest-paid wide receivers for a few more seasons.
Only the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills have more consecutive winning seasons than Miami. Hill has been critical to the team’s recent success, and Grier’s track record suggests that the Dolphins will find a way to adjust Hill’s deal, as mentioned by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday morning.