How Will Tyreek Hill’s Trade Impact Dolphins’ Salary Cap? Cheetah’s Contract Details, Dead Cap and More Explained

Tyreek Hill has had enough of disappointment. The WR is fed up with not making it to the postseason. The Dolphins lost their last bit of hope of making it to the postseason after losing against the Jets in the final game. Watching the Jets win was a rare sight, though. As the Dolphins kiss this season goodbye, their star WR Tyreek Hill hints at exiting the team. After losing the last game against Aaron Rodgers, Hill expressed his frustration while talking to the media. Eager to exit Miami, Hill’s departure will have an impact on the Dolphins’ salary cap for the upcoming year.

Openly requesting a trade, Tyreek, aka Cheetah, said, “I’m opening the door. I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I got to do what’s best for my career. I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.” It seems Miami might have some rough waters ahead. Back in 2022, the Dolphins made a blockbuster move, trading with the Chiefs for Tyreek Hill and putting a massive price tag on the star WR. But now, if Cheetah decides to part ways, Miami’s finances are in for a shock. Here’s the kicker: Hill’s dead cap hit is a jaw-dropping $88.8 million. (Yes, you read that right).

Most of Tyreek Hill’s money is locked in as guaranteed, including his prorated signing bonuses. If the WR enters a trade window, all that guaranteed cash would hit the cap right away, making 2024 a financial mess for Miami. They’d have to eat a massive dollar eighty-eight million dead cap hit, with almost no breathing room to show for it.

To put it simply, they’d only save Hill’s base salary ($1.2 million) and a small workout bonus ($100k). Compare that to the nearly ninety million dollars they’d have to swallow. And it’s not exactly the kind of trade-off any team would want. It’s a tough spot for Miami. And if Hill leaves, they’ll have to figure out how to clean up the mess without taking their roster down with it.

Tyreek Hill to end his contract with Miami?

With what he said in front of the media, it looks like Tyreek Hill has made up his mind about changing teams. The WR made his NFL debut with the Chiefs and played six seasons with them. During that time, he won a Super Bowl championship in 2020 and made another Super Bowl appearance the following year. With the Dolphins, however, he hasn’t even had the chance to make it to the postseason. Cheetah signed a whopping $90 million contract with the Miami Dolphins for three years in 2022. And on top of that, he received a $7 million signing bonus. Now, with Hill eager to find a new home, the Dolphins will have to navigate their cap situation.

While signing star players to massive contracts is a common strategy, the Dolphins’ situation highlights how these kinds of deals can quickly become a burden if things don’t go as planned. “This is the first time that I haven’t been in the playoffs, man. For me, I’ve just got to do what’s best for me and my family. Whether that’s here or whoever the case may be, I’m going to open that door for myself,” said the star WR postgame. When asked about whether he had anything to say to his teammates, Hill replied simply, “I don’t even know.”

Woah! Looks like he has quite made the decision. The 30-year-old also wrote a message for his team, further confirming his exit. After the game, he took to X to write, “Love Fin Nation, blessing y’all opened doors for the Hill family forever. Nothing but respect and love.” Now Miami must be ready to take that blow. It’s going to be tough after the disappointing season, but they simply cannot escape it. So, good luck to whoever’s going to handle that financial mess.