Tyreek Hill, the Miami Dolphins’ wide receiver, suffered a brutal injury against the Jets in Week 4. That devastating hit ended his season right there on the field. Now, with the Dolphins sitting at 6-8 and looking ahead to next year, a big question hangs in the air: Will Hill stick around in Miami, or will the team finally cut him loose?

Hill staying with the Dolphins has less to do with his on-field performance and more to do with the tough structure of his contract.

“The 31-year-old [Tyreek Hill] holds a $51.8M cap hit next season, with $28.25M of dead cap up against it. Moving on means $23.65M of much-needed cap savings for the Dolphins,” per Spotrac.

Hill signed a three-year, $90 million contract with the Dolphins in 2024, complete with a $7 million signing bonus and $59 million guaranteed. In 2025, he’s due $16.8 million in base salary and signing bonus. That’s a massive commitment. But there are a lot of doubts about Hill even coming back next season. 

Tyreek Hill dislocated his knee and tore multiple ligaments, including his ACL, in that Jets game. Recovery from those injuries could sideline him for much of next year, leaving him far from his explosive self. For a struggling Miami team, cutting him now would give them space to breathe, reset, and zero in on the draft for fresh talent.

Still, the wide receiver has earned every penny of that contract. Sure, the eight-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion has had his share of attitude issues over the years. But when you look at his stats, they scream elite talent.

In 2023, Tyreek Hill led the entire league in receiving yards with nearly 1,800, touchdowns with 13, first-down receptions with 83, and yards per game at 112.4. This season, sidelined early, he managed just 21 receptions for over 260 yards and one touchdown.

Numbers like those make it tough to imagine Miami without him, but tough contracts force hard choices. Similarly, the Dolphins could clear up even more cap space if they let their quarterback go as well.

How much will Miami sacrifice with Tua Tagovailoa to protect their cap?

Tua Tagovailoa has struggled mightily with interceptions this season. He leads the league with 15 interceptions so far. The Dolfans have grown so frustrated that calls to bench or move on from the Pro Bowler have echoed all season long. Yet, it seems Miami has little choice but to stick with him.

While some reports suggest the Dolphins are likely to retain Tagovailoa due to cap and trade concerns, others have raised the possibility of benching or even moving on from him, as his performance and turnover issues have intensified scrutiny on his future with the team.

“It is just as expensive to cut Tua’s 2026 contract post June 1st ($55.4 million) as it is to keep him on the roster for the 2026 season ($56 million),” Benjamin Solak of ESPN wrote on X.

Top Stories

“RIP”: Prayers Pour In as Tom Brady’s Raiders Struck by Tragedy

“Rest in Peace”: Prayers Pour In From Dan Marino as Dolphins Legend Mourns Tragedy in South Florida Football

“NFL Was Crying”: Maxx Crosby Says League Forced Him to Remove Shoes Honoring His Daughter

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Loses Faith in Kansas City With Cowboys Decision as FOX Host Calls Out Clark Hunt’s Ownership

Jerry Jones Reaches Breaking Point With Cowboys Coach as Matt Eberflus Receives Clear Order

Actually, Miami’s stuck in a bind with Tua’s contract. Even if they try to trade him, there’s very little chance any team would pick him up for that amount. And without a trade partner, they could tag him as a post-June 1 release candidate before $3 million more locks in on March 13. 

Right now, Tua’s 2026 cap number depends on the $15 million option bonus paid in March. Skip that bonus, and it flips to base salary, spiking his hit to $68.4 million. Cutting post-June 1 still dumps $67.4 million in dead cap on them. Bottom line: it’s an $11 million cap hit no matter what.

Miami could ease the financial pain a bit by simply riding it out with Tua until 2027. If they wait and designate him as a post-June 1 cut that year, the dead money drops to a far more manageable $13.4 million. That gives the Dolphins time to draft a young quarterback, let him develop behind Tua, and gradually hand over the reins instead of blowing up their cap and their offense in one shot.