The Miami Dolphins are parting ways with Tyreek Hill, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero - and just like that, one of the most electric playmakers in football is hitting the open market. The question now: Should the New England Patriots pounce?
Let’s start with the obvious. Hill, when healthy, is a game-changer.
An eight-time Pro Bowler, five-time First-Team All-Pro, and Super Bowl champion, he’s built a résumé that could one day land him in Canton. His speed and explosiveness are rare, even by NFL standards.
But this isn’t the same Hill who once terrorized defenses with 70-yard touchdowns on a weekly basis. He’s coming off a major knee injury - a dislocated left knee with multiple torn ligaments, including the ACL - and that changes the entire conversation.
According to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Hill underwent surgery back in September and is expected to play next season. But as Pelissero notes, that’s not a guarantee.
Recovering from that type of injury at this stage in a player’s career is no small task - especially for a receiver who relies so heavily on burst and agility. Hill will be 32 by the time the 2026 season kicks off, and while that’s not ancient, it’s certainly a factor when you’re talking about a player coming off a significant surgery.
From the Patriots’ perspective, the fit is intriguing - but complicated. New England is in the middle of a reset, building around rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Giving Maye a dynamic weapon like Hill could accelerate his development in a big way. Hill’s ability to stretch the field vertically would pair nicely with Maye’s arm talent, potentially opening up a new dimension in an offense that’s been looking for an identity.
But there are hurdles. For starters, the Patriots already have a decision to make on Stefon Diggs.
If they move on from him due to his age and cap hit, replacing him with another aging wideout on a hefty deal might be more of a lateral move than a leap forward. Hill didn’t crack 1,000 receiving yards in 2024 and logged just 265 yards in four games last season - numbers that reflect both his injury and the Dolphins’ quarterback issues, but still raise fair questions about what he has left in the tank.
Then there’s the financial piece. Hill was set to have $11 million become fully guaranteed this month, which played a role in Miami’s decision to release him. If Hill is looking for another top-tier contract, the Patriots - or any team - would have to think long and hard before committing that kind of money to a player coming off a serious knee injury.
However, if Hill is open to a short-term, incentive-heavy “prove it” deal, then things get interesting. That kind of contract would limit the downside for the Patriots while giving Hill a chance to re-establish his value. And if he’s even close to his old self, the upside is enormous.
There’s also been some smoke around Hill’s desire to leave Miami over the past year - vague comments here and there that hinted at dissatisfaction. Now that he’s officially a free agent, the door is wide open for a fresh start somewhere else. New England, with a new head coach in Mike Vrabel and a young quarterback to develop, could be a compelling landing spot.
Still, Vrabel made it clear in his end-of-season press conference: the goal is to find better, younger, and cheaper players each offseason. That’s not exactly a profile Hill fits right now. He’s a marquee name, but he’s not a sure thing.
Bottom line: If the Patriots are thinking long-term, chasing Hill on a big-money deal probably doesn’t make sense. But if they can get him on their terms - a lower-risk, high-reward contract - then it’s worth a serious look. Because even with the injury, even at 32, Tyreek Hill is still the kind of player who can change a game - and maybe even a season - in a single play.