The Miami Dolphins are staring down a crossroads-and it's not the kind you want to be at in December. After a season marred by injuries, inconsistency, and a spiraling cap situation, Miami finds itself stuck in the NFL’s version of no man’s land: not good enough to contend, not bad enough to rebuild cleanly, and financially boxed in for 2026.
According to Over the Cap, the Dolphins are one of just five teams projected to be more than $25 million over the cap in effective space two years from now. That’s not a small hole-it’s a crater.
And with a roster that hasn’t lived up to its billing, the front office is going to have to make some tough, high-profile decisions. One of the biggest?
What to do with Tyreek Hill.
Let’s be clear: Tyreek Hill is still one of the most electrifying wide receivers of his generation. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl champion, and a five-time First-team All-Pro.
He led the league in receiving yards just two seasons ago, and his first two years in Miami were nothing short of sensational-119 receptions in back-to-back seasons, with 1,710 yards in 2022 and 1,799 in 2023. That’s elite production, no matter how you slice it.
But 2025 has been a different story.
Hill’s season ended abruptly in September after just four games due to injury, capping off what had already been a turbulent offseason. On top of that, his public reaction to the recent benching of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa raised eyebrows-and perhaps signaled that his time in Miami is winding down.
Financially, the numbers tell a stark story. Hill is due $35 million from the Dolphins, but none of that money is guaranteed.
Cutting him would free up $23.65 million in cap space, a massive chunk of relief for a team in desperate need of it. The flip side?
It would also tack on another $28 million in dead money, nearly doubling Miami’s current dead cap total. It’s a classic cap conundrum: short-term pain for long-term flexibility.
Still, from a roster-building perspective, there’s logic in the move. Miami is expected to undergo a major transition this offseason-new general manager, possibly a new head coach, and most likely a new quarterback under center.
Hill, meanwhile, has made it clear he wants to play for a contender. That’s not where the Dolphins are right now, and both sides seem to know it.
2025 was a lost year for Hill, but his résumé ensures there will be no shortage of suitors if he hits the open market. He may not be the same player who torched defenses week in and week out just a couple seasons ago, but even a slightly diminished Tyreek Hill is a game-changer in the right system. And for Miami, moving on could be the first step toward reshaping a roster that’s in need of a reset.
The writing’s on the wall. The Dolphins are heading into an offseason full of hard decisions, and Hill’s future is one of the biggest pieces on the board.