After Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill totaled 1,700-plus receiving yards in each of his first two seasons with the team, his third season in Miami didn’t go so swimmingly.
Across 17 starts, he totaled just 959 receiving yards. For the first time since the 2019 season, he was unable to reach quadruple digits in that category.
Former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder brought up Hill’s age when making an argument that Miami should trade him before his “downfall.” Hill will turn 31 this weekend.
“What’s the saying?” Crowder asked. “I think — one of y’all say it all the time. Get rid of him too early than too late, and I think we’re there with Tyreek. Get rid of him before the downfall. He’s 32. He’s a speed guy. You don’t get faster as you get older. You don’t get quicker as you get older. You get slower, and he still has a market. He’s still a thousand-yard receiver.
“Go out there, the experiment — I can’t even say it didn’t work because Tua [Tagovailoa] had All-Pro years. He (Hill) had All-Pro years. The team wasn’t built to win, but I do believe that you go and you find something to get out of the Tyreek contract because you probably shouldn’t have restructured and gave him money already.”
On top of the fact that Hill is fresh off his least productive season as a Dolphin individually, Miami didn’t achieve much collective success in the 2024 season. The Dolphins finished the campaign with a mediocre record of 8-9 and missed out on the playoffs for the first time since the 2021 season.
Moreover, Hill missed the playoffs for the first time as an NFL player. He was part of plenty of deep playoff runs earlier on in his career when he was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs and is even a Super Bowl champion.
When factoring in how the 2024 campaign panned out for Hill and the Dolphins, perhaps it’s time the two sides head their separate ways.
One team that could theoretically have a lot to gain from taking a chance on Hill is the New England Patriots. It’s of note that an NFL executive last month described the Patriots as “desperate” and predicted them as a landing spot for Hill.
New England’s receiver corps left a lot to be desired last season, as no single player on the team totaled more than 674 receiving yards during the campaign. Tight end Hunter Henry led the way in that regard. Wide receiver DeMario Douglas wasn’t far behind him with 621.
Perhaps Hill’s stint with the Dolphins will come to a close sooner rather than later. If he is indeed dealt in the near future, Dolphins fans should still appreciate all that he’s contributed over the course of his tenure in Miami. Of course, the most likely outcome may be that he returns, in which case he’ll look to help the Dolphins get over the top.
