Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Suffers ACL Tear, Intends To Play in 2026
10:00pm: It sounds like Tyreek Hill won’t call in a career following his devastating knee injury. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that his client intends to play in 2026.
“Tyreek’s surgery went very well,” Rosenhaus said. “Fortunately everything was done with one procedure. The goal is for Tyreek to be ready for the start of next season.”
8:55am: It was confirmed after last night’s game that Tyreek Hill suffered a dislocated knee on the play which resulted in him carted off the field. Further testing took place overnight while he was hospitalized. 
Hill’s injuries consist of more than the dislocated knee. Multiple ligaments were also torn, including his ACL, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Hill remains in hospital and is scheduled to undergo surgery later today. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network adds further procedures could prove to be necessary given the extent of the damage.
Especially if multiple surgeries wind up taking place, Hill’s recovery timeline will be longer than the one associated with a typical ACL tear. At this point, the All-Pro’s availability for the 2026 season is unclear. At a minimum, Hill will be sidelined for the remainder of the current campaign. As a result, Monday’s game may end up representing his final one as a Dolphin.
Hill remains under contract through 2026, but he is owed a $29.9MM base salary which is not guaranteed for that season. With a scheduled cap hit of $51.9MM, an adjustment of some kind to his contract was widely expected in the event he remained with Miami. In the case of a trade, the 31-year-old would have been considered a rental given the ability of an acquiring team to move on after the season. The Dolphins may have been able to generate a Day 2 pick in return for Hill had a trade taken place in the next few weeks, but that is obviously a moot point now.
Last night’s win allowed Miami to improve to 1-3 on the season. The team’s offense enjoyed a second straight strong showing on the ground, but the Dolphins recorded just 177 passing yards against the Jets. Miami’s ability to produce through the air will be tested through the remainder of the campaign with Hill (who led the NFL in receiving yards in 2023) unavailable. Jaylen Waddle will be counted on to serve as a focal point in that regard, with a mix of veterans (Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, D’Wayne Eskridge) and 2024 draftees (Malik Washington, Tahj Washington) in place as depth options at the receiver position.
Reaching the playoffs can be considered an unlikely feat at this point given the Dolphins’ record, but losing Hill will make the task of qualifying for the postseason more challenging. Attention will turn to the progress of his recovery and, later, the question of how Miami will handle his future.
Dolphins To Sign WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. Off Saints’ Practice Squad
After losing wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a season-ending knee injury during Monday’s win over the Jets, the Dolphins are bringing back an old friend to help the void. Miami will sign receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. off the Saints’ practice squad, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
This will be the second Dolphins stint for Wilson, who played with the team under head coach Mike McDaniel from 2022-23. Wilson combined for 34 catches, 432 yards, and three touchdowns over 30 games during his previous run in Miami after spending the first three seasons of his career in Dallas.
Wilson joined the Saints on a two-year, $5.75MM deal with $2.85MM in guarantees in 2024; he hauled in 20 passes for 211 yards and a score in 15 games last season. He didn’t make the Saints’ season-opening roster this year, though, instead spending time on their practice squad to open the season.
The 29-year-old will now receive an opportunity to return to game action with a Miami. With Hill down, Jaylen Waddle will be the team’s unquestioned No. 1 receiver. Proven options are hard to find after that, however, with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, D’Wayne Eskridge, Malik Washington, and Tahj Washington perhaps taking on expanded roles.
Even with Wilson not delivering on the three-year, $22.05MM Dolphins deal he signed in 2022, the career-long auxiliary receiver has a greater track record than each of those four at the NFL level. Wilson, whose 602-yard Cowboys showing in 2021 caught the Dolphins’ attention, did not eclipse 300 receiving yards in either of his previous two Miami slates.
Realistically, there’s little chance of the Dolphins adequately replacing Hill from within this year. The eight-time Pro Bowler may never suit up again for the Dolphins, who will be able to get out of his non-guaranteed $29.9MM base salary in the offseason. He was already facing an uncertain future before suffering his gruesome injury, which McDaniel confirmed on Tuesday will end his season (X links via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN and Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network).
It seems Hill avoided nerve damage, but McDaniel revealed “several ligaments including the ACL are part of the dislocation.” A report Tuesday morning indicated Hill’s 2026 season is in doubt, with the future Hall of Famer suffering an ACL tear in addition to the knee dislocation and other ligament tears. This thrusts the all-time speed merchant toward a career crossroads, with an age-32 season coming in 2026. The accomplished wideout had only missed extensive time in one season — the Chiefs’ 2019 campaign — but that will change beginning in Week 5.
Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill Suffers Dislocated Knee
11:27pm: Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed (via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that Hill dislocated his knee and told media that the star receiver will remain in the hospital overnight. There is no word yet regarding any additional damage to Hill’s leg.
8:02pm: Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was carted off the field after a brutal leg injury on Monday Night Football against the Jets.
The Dolphins quickly announced that he was out for the game and would be taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. Hill is believed to have suffered a dislocated knee, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. If the diagnosis is confirmed, his season would likely be over, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. Ligament damage is also a concern with an injury of this nature, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Bleacher Report’s James Palmer.
[RELATED: Opinions Were Split On Hill’s Trade Value]
Hill went down early in the third quarter on a tackle by Jets rookie safety Malachi Moore. Trainers immediately put Hill’s leg in an air cast and teammates gathered around as the 10th-year receiver was loaded into the cart and ferried off the field. He acknowledged Dolphins fans on his way out of Hard Rock Stadium, as the injury could mark the end of his time in Miami.
Miami will be expecting Jaylen Waddle to take over as the team’s WR1 in Hill’s absence while hoping that 2024 draftees Malik Washington and Tahj Washington can step up. Veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has had a quiet begin to his tenure as a Dolphin, but will likely be asked to take on an expanded role. The team also has five-year veteran D’Wayne Eskridge on their active roster and undrafted rookies AJ Henning and Theo Wease on the practice squad.
Hill, 31, may have played his last snap in a Dolphins uniform. With a $52MM cap hit scheduled for the 2026 season (via OverTheCap), Miami was not expected to keep Hill past this year. The team reworked the likely Hall of Fame-bound player’s deal in 2024, providing a guarantee influx of $54MM. Nothing is guaranteed beyond 2025, however, and the Dolphins did not add any years to Hill’s deal — one originally agreed to upon being traded to Miami in March 2022.
Trade speculation has followed him since the end of the 2024 season, including links to the Steelers and the Chiefs after the Dolphins’ slow start this year. The Chiefs now have Xavier Worthy back and intent to play through his labrum tear, and Rashee Rice is due back from a suspension in Week 7. The Steelers were believed to have removed themselves from the running for the historically elite speed threat due to the latest round of domestic violence allegations against him.
Hill’s ex-wife alleged a host of troubling allegations against him in a divorce filing, though no criminal charges have been filed. That differs from Hill’s past, which involved an ugly arrest while in college for domestic violence, but the NFL does not need a conviction or charges being filed to levy a suspension. Despite extensive off-field turmoil, Hill has yet to be suspended as a pro.
Obviously, a trade will no longer be possible, so the team’s only other option will be to part ways with Hill next offseason. He is due $35MM in compensation in 2026, including a $5MM roster bonus due on March 18, marking a clear decision point for Miami’s front office.
The Dolphins made a big commitment to Waddle weeks before agreeing to the Hill rework. Waddle is tied to a three-year, $84.75MM extension, a deal that runs through the 2027 season. Miami played the 2021 season with Waddle as its No. 1 target but traded for Hill upon hiring Mike McDaniel as HC, loading up around Tua Tagovailoa‘s rookie contract. The ex-Chiefs speed merchant posted back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons, rewarding the Dolphins for the blockbuster swap. Those seasons also catalyzed Tagovailoa’s belated ascent and provided leverage for Hill’s guarantee influx, but three years still remained on the contract at the time of the adjustment. The Dolphins giving in and rewarding Hill early will make a 2026 separation costlier.
As we covered in our Dolphins Offseason In Review piece, that has been an issue for Dolphins GM Chris Grier, who has taken criticism as of late for his player-friendly M.O. Like the Jalen Ramsey separation, a Hill divorce will be more expensive because of the Dolphins appeasing him with an adjusted contract. Dolphins fans will see a preview of a post-Hill offense in the coming weeks.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Opinions Split On Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill’s Trade Value
The Dolphins enter tonight’s contest with a record of 0-3. Especially if Miami loses, attention will turn to the possibility of changes on the sidelines and/or in the front office. 
Head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier are viewed as being on the hot seat, although owner Stephen Ross‘ preference is to finish out the season with the current regime remaining in place. Regardless of what happens on that front, Miami falling to 0-4 would lead to increased speculation surrounding Tyreek Hill‘s future.
The All-Pro receiver has been linked to trade talk for much of his Dolphins tenure, especially in the aftermath of his decision to pull himself from the team’s season finale in 2024. Conversations with McDaniel helped smooth things out to an extent, but it would come as little surprise if a trade were to be explored at some point by Miami. Should that take place, opinions are split with respect to the compensation in a potential deal.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic polled a number of NFL coaches and executives to gauge the market of a Hill trade (subscription required). Nearly half (six of 13) predicted the Dolphins could receive a third-round pick, which would fall in line with recent receiver deals worked out before the deadline. In 2024, both Davante Adams and Amari Cooper fetched third-round picks in their respective trades.
Cooper was on an expiring contract at the time, but Adams had term on his pact. However, the lack of future guarantees essentially made him a rental for the purposes of the trade. Hill is in a similar situation; the 31-year-old is on the books through 2026 but none of his scheduled base salary for next year ($29.9MM) is locked in.
Hill’s status as a rental (for all intents and purposes) could make him an attractive target for contending teams, especially in the case of a reunion with the Chiefs. The Steelers have also been floated as a suitor for Hill, although the most recent update on that front indicated Pittsburgh is no longer interested in a swap. Price would of course be a major factor in any trade agreement, and Howe’s poll drew responses stating a Day 3 pick is all Miami could expect for dealing away Hill.
Speculation about a trade taking place comes against the backdrop of domestic violence allegations made by Hill’s ex-wife which emerged earlier this month. Hill has denied the allegations, but in the absence of certainty regarding a criminal case being launched or an NFL investigation opening – neither of which have happened as of yet – suitors could understandably hesitate on the trade front.
Miami’s passing attacks ranks 20th entering Monday’s action. Hill topped 100 yards in Week 2 but his other games have been quiet with respect to production. The six-time 1,000-yard wideout has plenty of time to rebound in terms of his statistical impact, but it remains to be seen if that will include a full campaign with the Dolphins.
Steelers No Longer Considering Tyreek Hill Trade
It did not take long for Tyreek Hill trade rumors, which swirled throughout the early stages of the offseason, to resurface. Shortly after the Dolphins’ brutal 33-8 loss to the Colts in Week 1, a report indicated the Chiefs and Steelers were eyeing a potential trade for Miami’s talented but mercurial wideout.
Pittsburgh has removed itself from the Hill sweepstakes, at least for now. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the club is concerned that the latest round of domestic violence allegations against Hill – his estranged wife, Keeta Vaccaro, has accused Hill of eight separate violent acts against her, some of which took place while she was pregnant – could result in a suspension.
Those allegations came to light just one day after the Indianapolis loss, and Florio’s prior report on the matter implied the Steelers’ interest in Hill spawned prior to the accusations. It is therefore no surprise that the team will not entertain a move for the 31-year-old wideout until there is more clarity on this off-field situation.
That may well be the case for any club interested in acquiring Hill. However, the trade deadline is not until November 4. By that point, teams may feel comfortable that Hill will be able to avoid a suspension at least for the remainder of the 2025 season and will thus be amenable to swinging a deal.
After all, Hill profiles as an obvious trade candidate. Although he is under contract through 2026, he is due $36MM in total compensation and carries an untenable $51.9MM cap charge next year. Florio confirms Hill will likely be cut by March if he remains with the ‘Fins through the end of the current season, so if the Dolphins – who are currently 0-3 and looking like an obvious seller – are unable to engineer a dramatic turnaround, they will surely consider a trade.
Through the first three games of the season, Hill has recorded 15 catches for 198 yards and a score. The Steelers apparently have interest in pairing his talents with another trade acquisition, D.K. Metcalf, and just as Miami’s status as sellers or otherwise will be solidified by early November, so too will Pittsburgh’s status as legitimate playoff contender or possible also-ran.
Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross Willing To Be Patient With HC Mike McDaniel; Latest On GM Chris Grier, Team’s Culture Changes
Earlier this month, a report came to light indicating that Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel may not retain their jobs through the end of the current season. Prior to the club’s loss to the Bills on Thursday, Ian Rapoport and Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network said owner Stephen Ross was willing to be patient with McDaniel (the same may be true of Grier, though neither pundit substantively mentioned him in their reports).
Rapoport said Ross likes and believes in McDaniel and does not want to fire him (to say nothing of last year’s extension that tethered the HC to the organization through 2028). As such, a McDaniel dismissal is not imminent (video link).
Rapoport acknowledges that Ross’ stance could change in a hurry if fans stop showing up to games or if McDaniel’s players stop playing hard for him. Fan discontent was on full display before Miami’s Week 2 loss to the Patriots in the form of a banner reading “FIRE GRIER. FIRE MCDANIEL.” borne by a small aircraft flying above Hard Rock Stadium. However, according to Wolfe, Dolphins players were not panicked about their disappointing start to the campaign and had not quit on their coach (video link).
That said, the players did express frustration and concern to Wolfe, and losing the Buffalo contest to fall to 0-3 surely did not assuage those feelings. Again, the Rapoport and Wolfe reports preceded the game, and while Wolfe said even a loss to the Bills would not change Ross’ immediate plans with respect to McDaniel, it is fair to wonder how long the patience will last.
Underscoring all of this is the cultural change that Grier and McDaniel tried to implement this season. In a long-form piece on the matter that will be of particular interest to ‘Fins fans, ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques says the club has attempted to improve the culture within the team facility since the 2024 campaign came to an end.
Part of those efforts included a focus on “player-driven accountability,” and McDaniel told his team after the 2024 season finale that anyone who took issue with that notion could simply say as much, and that the club would look to trade or release them. Indeed, multiple sources said tardiness for, and absences from, team meetings was a significant problem last year.
Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill, both team captains in 2024, were reportedly among the repeat offenders, and a current Dolphins player said the high-profile duo took advantage of their captaincy and used it as justification for their poor attendance record. Sources said Ramsey in particular was a “drain” on morale – he would show up late to team activities and even leave practice while it was ongoing – and Hill famously took himself out of Miami’s last game of the season.
Hill, who did not deny missing meetings or arriving late to meetings and practice, is still with the team despite trade rumblings early in the offseason, though Ramsey was traded to the Steelers in June. Grier’s recent comments on the Ramsey deal suggest there is at least some truth to the allegations concerning the player’s lack of accountability, and while Grier indicated back in April that the club and Ramsey mutually agreed to seek a trade partner, one source told Louis-Jacques that the move was actually driven by the team.
Interestingly, a former Dolphins player who worked under McDaniel said the lateness/absence issues were not new developments in 2024. Instead, they only became problematic when the losses began to pile up.
“Everyone was fine with cutting meetings, cutting practice when they’re winning, but once you’re losing, it’s like now you can’t get mad at that,” the player said. “You were just enjoying it when you were winning.”
Multiple sources said the disregard for timeliness and attendance reflected a lack of respect for McDaniel, who was reluctant to take action other than imposing fines (which McDaniel himself later conceded did not do much to change behavior). One source said McDaniel has been more willing to publicly admonish players this year, though the comments regarding lack of respect last season will not help the HC’s cause.
Only six teams have qualified for the postseason after an 0-3 start, and the last team to accomplish that feat was the 2018 Texans. A source familiar with Ross’ thinking said Grier’s and McDaniel’s job security will not depend exclusively on whether the Dolphins defy the odds and make the playoffs, and the team did put up competitive showings against the Patriots and Bills following a Week 1 blowout loss to the Colts.
Still, Louis-Jacques and Wolfe made reference to the comments Ross offered just hours after the 2024 season ended, when the owner said, “I believe in the value of stability. However, continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough.”
Even though a source told Louis-Jacques that Ross’ remarks with respect to the status quo pertained more to process than results, the ESPN scribe notes there is a limit to Ross’ patience with undesirable results. In other words, Grier and McDaniel may need their team to start winning immediately to preserve their futures in South Beach.
Steelers, Chiefs ‘Eyeing’ Tyreek Hill?
SEPTEMBER 13: Dianna Russini of The Athletic confirms (subscription required) the Dolphins are not actively looking to trade Hill, adding calls have yet to be made on the subject. In the event Miami continues to struggle, however, interest could pick up before the trade deadline.
SEPTEMBER 11: Trade rumors followed Tyreek Hill throughout the offseason, and the Dolphins’ 33-8 drubbing at the hands of the Colts has only intensified speculation that the veteran wide receiver could be on his way out of Miami.
The Steelers and the Chiefs are both “eyeing” Hill after Week 1, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio (via the Rich Eisen Show).
Kansas City has a clear need at wide receiver following Xavier Worthy‘s injury and Rashee Rice‘s suspension. Hill would especially help a Chiefs downfield passing game that has stagnated since he left the team in 2022.
The Steelers, meanwhile, could continue their apparent all-in push for the 2025 season by pairing Hill with D.K. Metcalf to give Aaron Rodgers one of the top receiver duos in the NFL. Pittsburgh did have Calvin Austin emerge as a potential WR2 in Week 1 with a 4-70-1 statline, but Hill’s All-Pro pedigree and track record of high-end production would still be an upgrade.
Hill is due $36MM in nonguaranteed compensation in 2026 with a $51.9MM cap hit, per OverTheCap, making it unlikely that he stays in Miami past this year. His contract could be a major obstacle to an offseason trade, so the Dolphins might try to move on early to get a better return. Hill is due $11.8MM this season, which is now down to $11.1MM after Week 1 and will drop by an additional $694K per week.
However, the potential for a suspension resulting from recent domestic violence allegations will likely delay any trade inquiries until after the league completes a potential investigation. Until there is some clarity on the situation, other teams won’t want to move draft capital for a rental with an uncertain outlook for the rest of the season. Florio said the accusations against Hill are “a massive complication that wasn’t there when the chatter began.”
Indeed, the Dolphins have received “zero” calls regarding Hill, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, nor is the team currently looking to move him.
Were that to change, trade compensation would still need to be negotiated. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer believes the Dolphins would want “something in the range of a third-round pick and maybe a Day 2 pick on top of that,” while Florio referenced the 2025 deal that sent Davante Adams from the Raiders to the Jets in exchange for a third-round pick. The Steelers also gave up a second-round pick for Metcalf earlier this year, offering another framework for a potential Hill trade.
Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill Accused Of Domestic Violence
Tyreek Hill‘s ex-wife is alleging the Dolphins wide receiver committed several acts of domestic violence against her, according to TMZ. Hill’s attorney has denied the claims, calling them part of a “shakedown.”
While Hill has established himself as one of this century’s best wide receivers and will almost definitely be headed to the Hall of Fame, domestic violence represents an ugly cloud over his career. An arrest while at Oklahoma State in 2014 is the most serious of the incidents, Hill was also part of a 2019 scandal that alleged domestic violence.
He has managed to avoid an NFL suspension, thanks in part to a rule at the time in which off-field incidents prior to a player’s time in the league could not impact the league to impose a ban, but another round of trouble is afoot for the fourth-year Dolphins receiver. Hill, 31, also avoided a suspension for an assault on a Miami-area marina worker in 2023.
Hill’s ex-wife, Keeta Vaccaro, has accused him of multiple acts of violence beginning in January 2024. Hill and Vaccaro were married in November 2023; they separated 17 months later.
In a new court filing as part of the divorce, Vaccaro accused Hill of shoving her to the floor in January 2024 at their guest house in Southwest Ranches, Fla. In a separate incident, Vaccaro accuses Hill of “violently attacked her, throwing her to the floor, twisting her intimate body parts, ripping her hair out and grabbing anything on her person he could get a hold of” in an Orlando hotel two weeks later, according to TMZ.
Vaccaro also alleges Hill shoved a marijuana cigarette in her face when the couple was preparing to leave for the 2024 Pro Bowl. In total, Vaccaro accuses Hill of eight separate acts of domestic violence. This includes incidents while she was pregnant.
Hill’s 2014 arrest involved a different woman, the mother of his oldest children, and involved accusations of punching and choking her while she was pregnant. (That arrest led to Hill being thrown off the Oklahoma State football and track teams; it later led some teams to remove the WR from their draft boards.) That woman, Crystal Espinal, accused Hill in 2019 of violence against one of their children. Hill was also heard in a recording threatening Espinal, his then-fiancé. That recording preceded Hill being barred from the Chiefs’ facility during the 2019 offseason. Due in part to a lack of cooperation from a Kansas district attorney’s office, Hill was not suspended by the NFL in connection with the 2019 incident. He signed a Chiefs extension (three years, $54MM) soon after the team welcomed him back, though that extension had protections for the team in the event more off-field trouble ensued.
With Hill staying out of trouble from then until March 2022, the Dolphins traded a five-pick package to the Chiefs and rewarded the standout receiver with a then-position-record four-year, $120MM extension. A year after not being charged for his marina assault, Hill secured a new $50MM guarantee package from the Dolphins. Months after that guarantee package, Hill checked himself out of Miami’s Week 18 game in New York and made an impromptu trade request — one he later walked back. That said, trade rumors have still followed the former fifth-round pick this year.
As with past Hill accusations, the case will need to play out. No charges have been filed against him in connection with Vaccaro’s allegations, though arrests or convictions are not required for suspensions under the NFL’s personal conduct policy. A league investigation could emerge as a result of Vaccaro’s claims. Two seasons remain on Hill’s Dolphins contract.
Dolphins GM Chris Grier Discusses Offseason Approach, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey Trade, Secondary
The Dolphins were not especially active in free agency this offseason, as guard James Daniels (three years, $24MM) was the only FA addition to land a contract worth over $6MM. After Miami made significant expenditures in recent seasons to extend internal talent or acquire expensive, high-profile players from other clubs, this year’s more conservative approach reflected a concerted effort to get right with the salary cap.
“For us, it was just good business,” Dolphins GM Chris Grier told reporters, including Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, at his annual late-August press conference on Wednesday. “We had to get younger … At some point, if you don’t reset fast enough, it’s not good cap wise. We got to a point where we felt this was the right time to do it but to the point we [also] have a good roster to win games. We’ve been very happy so far.”
Grier made sure to point out owner Stephen Ross did not influence his roster construction.
“Steve has never given us a directive on how to do it,” Grier noted. “At some point, you have to reset. When you make aggressive moves like we had made for a few years, you have to reset and start it over. It’s not sustainable.”
Of course, two years after trading for CB Jalen Ramsey and one year after extending him, the ‘Fins dealt him and TE Jonnu Smith to the Steelers at the end of June. They took on Minkah Fitzpatrick’s notable contract in the process, but with Pittsburgh assuming the bulk of Ramsey’s pay, it ended up as a financial win for Miami, particularly since the team was able to avoid signing Smith to an extension at the peak of his value.
As Jackson notes, there may have been other factors at play in the Ramsey/Smith trade. When asked about parting ways with Ramsey and others this offseason, Grier said, “we were winning, but we weren’t winning the right way. They were held accountable but at times it didn’t matter to them. Moving on from those people … At some point, you say enough is enough.”
To be clear, Grier said Ramsey and Smith are “good people” and that he “didn’t have any issues with them.” Still, the accountability comments add an interesting wrinkle to conversations about the Dolphins’ offseason strategies.
When discussing his current roster, Grier praised the group’s accountability and self-policing. He spoke particularly highly of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who was also a rumored trade candidate earlier this year.
“Tyreek has been unbelievable the whole offseason,” Grier said. “He has been around every day, worked tirelessly with this team. He’s closer with a lot of his teammates than he has ever been. He is 100 percent invested. [Quarterback] Tua [Tagovailoa] and Tyreek are closer than I’ve ever seen them before.”
One of the byproducts of Grier’s cap-driven roster decisions was a perceived weakness in the secondary, underscored by the inevitable Ramsey departure and the February release of CB Kendall Fuller. In Week 1, 2024 UDFA Storm Duck and recent signee Rasul Douglas are penciled in as the starting boundary corners, while fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall will man the slot. It is a group that is not inspiring a great deal of confidence at the moment, though Grier naturally expressed optimism.
“We feel good about the room, adding [Douglas] to the group,” he said. “We’ve been talking to him throughout the summer. He’s a consummate professional, keeps himself in great shape. He’s very smart. Happy to add him to the group. Veteran players go through their process of when they’re ready. Timing worked to get it done last minute.”
Grier went on to discuss the benefit of adding Fitzpatrick to the defensive backfield. As Jackson details in a separate piece, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver plans to deploy Fitzpatrick in multiple roles. That includes rushing the passer and lining up on the box.
“It’s going to be a little bit more challenging, a little bit more pressure,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’re asking me to do more than just one job. I think his defense in the secondary is based off of versatility, and that’s kind of the reason they brought me here.”
Dolphins Never Wanted To Trade Tyreek Hill
A Tyreek Hill trade seemed like a distinct possibility in January when the star wide receiver indicated that he wanted out of Miami.
However, Hill never submitted a formal trade request to the Dolphins and the two sides smoothed things over. Since then, the 31-year-old has seemed committed to the team, though his name showed up in the offseason rumor mill.
However, the Dolphins “never showed any genuine interest in moving Hill during the offseason,” according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. With the regular season only a few weeks away, it seems that the five-time All-Pro will stay in Miami for at least another year.
That’s not stopping teams from monitoring the situation, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). Hill is due a $15.85MM option bonus on August 31, per OverTheCap. If the Dolphins have any nascent desire to move on from Hill, it would be ideal financially – in terms of both cash and cap space – to do so before September.
Fowler also confirmed that the Dolphins rejected overtures regarding Hill earlier this offseason and admitted that persisting interest “could be wishful thinking.” Miami has an expensive roster and spent the offseason promising culture change, two signs that they intend to compete this year. Trading Hill would obviously deal a blow to their playoff chances, but their lack of depth in the trenches on both sides of the ball as well as a shaky cornerback room may already be insurmountable weaknesses.
Such a deal seems very unlikely to come together this late in the preseason and would probably take not only renewed, but heightened tension between Hill and the team.