of miami dolphins Giving wide receiver Tyreek Hill a generous three-year, $90 million contract extension in August 2024, keeping him happy in 2024 and 2025 amid a slew of new receiver deals elsewhere in the league. guaranteed full compensation.
Following a disappointing 2024 season for the Dolphins, in which they missed the playoffs and had a lackluster performance with Tua Tagovailoa missing multiple games (again). The mystery recipient apparently wanted to move out of South Beach..
The implications of this deal are significant for both the Dolphins and the team that acquires Hill.
Tyreek Hill's 2025 Salary and Bonus Guaranteed
Despite the reported big numbers for 2024, he was actually on a fully guaranteed contract worth around $53 million over two years, with a non-guaranteed team option for a third year of $36 million. He played one of his two guaranteed years, earning $26.5 million in the process. That means he still has about $26.85 million in guaranteed money left.
In terms of the contract extension, Miami will give Hill a $1 million roster bonus due in mid-March 2025, plus a $15.85 million option bonus that must be exercised by the end of August 2025 and a $15.85 million option bonus due during the 2025 season. Guaranteed a base salary of $10 million. That's $26.85 million owed to Hill in fully guaranteed money.
He could also earn up to $1.8 million in per-game roster bonuses in 2025, although that $105,882 per game is not guaranteed.
The Hill has significant economic influence here.
There is no guarantee of the value of the $36 million compensation Hill will receive in 2026. It was added to raise the annual average more than anything else.
How much will it cost the Miami Dolphins to keep Tyreek Hill in 2025?
If he's with the Dolphins, he's unlikely to agree to a pay cut, even though he's currently fully guaranteed. A $1 million roster bonus due in mid-March 2025, a $15.85 million option bonus and a $10 million base salary for a total of $26.85 million, with the potential to earn an additional $1.8 million in roster bonuses per game. be.
This is why Hill feels confident requesting a trade or at least voicing his opinion on future Dolphins decisions.
How much would it cost the Miami Dolphins to trade Tyreek Hill during the 2025 offseason?
If the Dolphins were to move Hill, they would essentially be trading away the guaranteed money under Hill's contract. He could pay some or all of his bonus money to secure more compensation, but the reason for trading him is to use up his remaining guaranteed money while potentially solving locker room issues.
Ideally for the Dolphins, Miami would trade him before the March roster bonus and settle the full $26.85 million he owes in roster bonuses and salary. How many teams are willing to take that on and have the cap space to do it? Currently, at least 18 teams have the cap space, but wanting it is another story.
Even if the Dolphins burn through his $1 million roster bonus, no other money will be paid to him until August, so this could be a long process if either team bites in. .
What impact does the Tyreek Hill trade have on the Dolphins' salary cap?
According to Over the Cap, the Dolphins paid Hill about $79.5 million, but he only accounted for about $51 million of that. That means the Dolphins' dead cap hit, or money paid but not yet accounted for, is closer to $28 million. (Spotrac's numbers are even worse, with more than $41 million in dead money.)
Hill would have a cap hit of just under $28 million if he was on the roster in 2025, so moving on from Hill wouldn't be too difficult cap-wise, although he would lose some flexibility. But if they start paying out these bonuses, his dead cap hit will continue to increase dollar for dollar.
Miami would have to cut players or restructure contracts to make it work, but that would be a no-brainer.
How much would it cost a team to trade for Tyreek Hill?
A team that trades Hill could take on his entire guaranteed compensation in 2025. $1 million roster bonus, $15.85 million option bonus and $10 million base salary in mid-March 2025. That's $26.85 million owed to Hill in fully guaranteed money.
If I were a new team, I would have the Dolphins pay him his $1 million roster bonus in March and carry over his $15.85 million roster bonus. That would leave Hill with only $10 million in base salary and $1.8 million in potential per-game roster bonuses in 2025.
Hill is worth less than $12 million, so I'd be willing to work out a deal with the receiver. Nothing is guaranteed in the contract beyond 2025. This would result in a great draft pick, likely on the second or third day of the 2025 NFL Draft.
How much would a Tyreek Hill trade be worth?
Hill's huge salary is a stumbling block, but if the Dolphins can absorb most or all of those bonuses, there's a path forward.
The Bills have a third-round pick. browns Amari Cooper only spent half the season, but he was making the NFL's minimum salary. The Jets made a similar move, sending a third-round pick to the Raiders for Davante Adams, but New York State paid him $11.6 million over half a season in 2024. Kansas City made Tennessee pay a portion of DeAndre Hopkins' salary before sending a fifth-round pick. The company will then pay $5.5 million in the second half of 2024.
Hill's $10 million to $12 million doesn't mean a second or third round pick with other compensation is out of the question, but I think that's the high end.
However, there is one more element to every deal. Will Hill demand a 2026 bond as part of a trade deal? He turned 31 this offseason and is a receiver known for his speed. So do you want to guarantee money on a 32-year-old speedy receiver who may be on the decline? That could also reduce his trade compensation.
That being said, I think an early pick on Day 3 is probably the sweet spot if Miami is going to get these bonuses. If they don't eat money, the Dolphins might consider what the Chiefs brought in La'Jarrius Snead. Just a pick exchange and financial relief.
