NFL analyst expresses doubt about Tyreek Hill receiving $45,000,000 from Dolphins in 2026
Tyreek Hill stands as one of the still lengthy list of stars angling for new deals this offseason. After seeing Justin Jefferson shatter the market, Hill is in line for a raise as well. Based on his current deal, there is one scenario in which he could see quarterback-level money for a year. However, one NFL analyst isn't betting on it.
Speaking on Tuesday's edition of "Pro Football Talk," analyst Mike Florio expressed doubts about the receiver getting that kind of money.
"There's no guarantee he's getting a new deal and he mentioned the $30 million number," Florio said. "So either he's all in with the lie or he's been lied to because it's not $30 million. It's never been $30 million. And the only way it ever gets to $30 million is if the Dolphins pay him $45 million in 2026, non-guaranteed, $45 million."
According to Spotrac, Hill gave the Miami Dolphins a roughly $20 million total cap hit between 2022 and 2023. In 2022, his cap cost was around $7 million. In 2023, it was $12.8 million. This year, his total jumps to $31 million. In 2025, it will be $34 million.
In 2026, Hill is set to cost the team a whopping $56 million against the cap when other earnings in addition to his basic salary are included, per Spotrac. Jared Goff, who has one of the highest salaries in the league this year, is due $53 million this season. As such, Tyreek Hill is set to cost more in 2026 than one of the most expensive quarterbacks in the league this year.
An alternate reason potentially explains Tyreek Hill's contract situation
Of course, the flipside to Florio's argument is simply a lack of planning. While the analyst argued that the receiver could have been nefariously lied to, another explanation exists. General managers are paid to win and if they don't, they get removed. As such, winning now often is prioritized over winning later.
The best way to do this is to minimize the salary cap in the short term to extend a team's winning window. During that time, general managers get to keep their jobs, even if it sets up trouble later down the line for themselves.
On the other hand, procrastinating the problem might not even be a headache for them to solve. It could be the next general manager's issue instead. This could have been the case with Hill, considering the start of his deal is priced at a bargain rate and the end of it as one of the most expensive cap hits in the league. Will the Dolphins decide to hand over a $45 million salary to an age-32 Tyreek Hill?
If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk," and H/T Sportskeeda.