The 1-3 Miami Dolphins appear to be in the midst of a lost season. On Monday, they were blown out 31-12 by the previously winless Tennessee Titans. With the trade deadline approaching, superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill has been the subject of trade rumors. Despite their unfortunate circumstances, the Dolphins would be silly to consider trading Hill.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier signed Hill to a revised three-contract worth $90 million in August. If the Dolphins trade Hill, they'd inherit sizable dead cap charges, according to OverTheCap. Hill's contract runs through 2026 and void years were tacked on through 2029.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been frequently connected to acquiring Hill via trade. The Chiefs initially traded the eight-time Pro Bowl wideout to the Dolphins in exchange for a package of draft selections. They recently suffered a significant blow when wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury that may be season-ending. Hill won Super Bowl LIV with the Chiefs, who are currently aggressively pursuing a three-peat.
woke up to trade news exciting
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) October 2, 2024
The Chiefs dealt Hill away due to difficulties against the salary cap, and the situation has yet to improve. General manager Brett Veach currently possesses $4.7 million in financial flexibility. Their effective cap space for next offseason is a scheduled $11 million. Both figures complicate acquiring a receiver of Hill's caliber.
Again, it's worth admitting the Dolphins don't have much to play for this season. Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered another scary-looking concussion in a blowout defeat to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. Tagovailoa is scheduled to remain on Injured Reserve for a minimum of two additional contests, but the expectation is that he'll stay sidelined for significantly longer than that. The Dolphins have played three quarterbacks since. Both Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle played in an uncompetitive defeat to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. Veteran journeyman Tyler "Snoop" Huntley will make his second consecutive start against the New England Patriots this weekend.
Unsurprisingly, Hill (and the entire Dolphins offense) has struggled mightily since Tagovailoa went down. The former West Alabama standout recorded just 23 receiving yards, and 19 rushing yards, versus the Titans on Monday Night Football. He was limited to 40 yards against the Seahawks, and just 24 versus the Bills. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, Tagovailoa's lone complete game, Hill went off for 130 receiving yards and a touchdown, leaving little doubt he's still an elite receiver.
If the Dolphins were firmly entering rebuild territory, then trading the aging Hill would make sense. But there aren't any current indications that the Dolphins plan to move on from Tagovailoa or head coach Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins have other expensive high-end players under contract for the foreseeable future, such as Terron Armstead, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, and Jalen Ramsey. This isn't a rebuild, it's simply a wasted season due to injury.
Rumors may continue circulating Hill until the trade deadline expires on Nov. 4. Trading Hill doesn't make sense for financial or competitive reasons. The Dolphins must remain patient while Tagovailoa sorts his long-term outlook.
