Even before Jaylen Waddle signed his three-year contract extension worth $28.25 million annually, Tyreek Hill’s Miami Dolphins contract was starting to pale in comparison to other top NFL receivers.
Hill’s contract, which he signed in 2022, made him the NFL’s highest-paid receiver at the time, where he’d earn an average salary of $30 million per season. Yet, as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio often points out, Hill’s actual contract is much different. That $30 million figure is greatly inflated thanks to a $45 million salary placed on the final year of his deal, which, obviously, the Dolphins won’t be paying.
Instead, Hill’s contract (without the phony $45M year), offers an average annual value of $25 million. Meanwhile, now several others are in this same salary range, including Houston’s Nico Collins, who just signed an extension worth $24.25 million annually. Collins is a good player who’s on the rise, but he’s not a five-time All-Pro with a Super Bowl ring.
Collins is fresh off the first 1,000-yard season of his three-year career, but Hill already had two seasons matching those totals by his third year. He’s racked up over 1,000 years in six of his eight seasons in the NFL. There’s no doubt the ‘Cheetah’ is one of the best receivers in the NFL, and as Florio hints, Hill may feel like it’s time he gets another raise.
For now, Hill’s set to make $19.76 million this season, which is far below a player of his skill level is worth.
Recently, before Waddle signed his extension, Hill had a bit of an odd message to the Dolphins organization, telling Miami to address his contract situation.
“I love the team I play on, love the guys in the locker room, love the head coach, love the G.M. So that means sign me. I love all you guys so much, I want to stay in Miami forever, man. Keep me there.”
Tyreek Hill on Around The Bar Podcast
The Dolphins still have to address Tua Tagovailoa’s contract too. The Pro Bowl quarterback is entering the final year of his contract. In contrast, Hill is at least technically still set to be with the Dolphins through 2026, even if he’s unlikely to see out his final year without a contract amendment first because, as mentioned, Miami won’t want a $56 million cap hit for one player.
Waddle just got paid, and chances are, Tagovailoa’s next, but as Hill sees his other teammates sign big contracts, it’s only a matter of time before he wonders where his next big paycheck will come from.
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