It looks like the Tyreek Hill era in Miami may be over.
If so, the way it ended should hearken back to when the New York Jets first tried to trade for him.
In one of my first articles for Jets X-Factor, I argued that the Jets dodged a bullet by not completing the trade for Hill. Although many of the other points I made seem erroneous or at least questionable in hindsight, Hill’s last game in Miami underscores the overarching point I made.
Did Miami receive two elite years of production from Hill? Absolutely. He helped Tua Tagovailoa rake in the bag despite lingering doubts about Tagovailoa’s health and actual ceiling as a quarterback. Hill produced an incredible 3.82 yards per route run in 2023, the second-highest mark in the Pro Football Focus era (since 2004).
Only Steve Smith had a higher mark, posting 3.87 in 2008 with the Panthers — but he ran 100 fewer routes, making that pace easier to sustain.
There is no underestimating Hill’s greatness. The Jets could have had him and still drafted Garrett Wilson, which would have given them a receiving tandem equivalent to Miami’s Hill-Jaylen Waddle pair.
However, Hill’s behavior in his final game shows the risk that was always there. Head coach Mike McDaniel clearly implied that Hill pulled himself out of the Week 18 contest with the Jets.
Does Miami regret the two years of elite production they got out of Hill? No. But they may well regret the extension they gave him this offseason, which would cause them to lose money against the salary cap by trading him.
In general, the four-year, $120 million extension the Dolphins initially gave Hill had a strong possibility to age poorly. Hill was entering his age-28 season, and speed has always been his calling card. Speed can diminish rather rapidly as a player ages, which made Hill an inherent risk.
Still, the risk of acquiring Hill may have been worthwhile if the character issues were not present. Diva wide receivers are abundant in the NFL, and many teams don’t hesitate to acquire them. But they are always a wild card, and players like Terrell Owens and Antonio Brown proved how badly and precipitously their tenure with a particular team can sour and end.
And speaking of Antonio Brown…
This was a risk the Jets would have been taking on had they acquired Hill. For a team that was not positioned to be immediately competitive at the time, it was a risk simply not worth taking. No one could fault Joe Douglas for making the attempt, especially since his offer was ultimately equivalent to Miami’s in terms of draft value.
But, despite Hill’s brilliant production with Miami for the first two years of his deal, I still believe the Jets dodged a bullet by not acquiring him.
