The Vikings’ Justin Jefferson just became the NFL’s highest-paid receiver after the squad lavished him with a new four-year, $140 million contract extension.
The deal wasn’t a surprise — Jefferson has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier playmaking threats. What may be surprising to some, however, is the surge of big-money contracts that have been doled out to wide receivers in the past couple of seasons. Since 2022, Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, Cooper Kupp and Jaylen Waddle have all gotten big payouts. Each of the aforementioned contracts came after the Dolphins made Tyreek Hill the highest-paid wideout in the league in 2022, and each has been bigger than Hill’s previous total.
That total: Four years, $120 million, signed in 2022 after Miami acquired him from Kansas City. And according to Hill’s agent Drew Rosenhaus, Hill could be in line for another salary increase.
“Let’s just say it’s safe to acknowledge that I’ve been in touch with [general manager] Chris Grier and [SVP] Brandon Shore,” Rosenhaus told FOX affiliate WSVN-TV. “I certainly have a fluid line of communication with them, and I’ve shared with them how Tyreek feels. And I’ll also reiterate that Tyreek has said that he would love to finish his career with the Dolphins. So, without getting into any specifics, the Dolphins know how we feel.”
Hill will receive cash payouts of $19.765 million in 2024, $22.935 million in 2025, and $45 million in 2026. But the average value of his deal sits around $25 million, nearly $10 million below Jefferson’s average value of $35 million. The squad would take a $22.6 million cap hit if it chooses to release him before 2025, but it would save $11.3 million should it go that route.
Hill is one of the league’s best, and based on Rosenhaus’s comments, he wants to be paid as such. And his numbers back that up. He put up a career-high 1,799 receiving yards in 2023 to complement 13 TDs, while boasting a whopping 15.1 yards per reception. The Dolphins may not be eager about upping his contract total, especially given the recent deal they made with Waddle and releasing Pro Bowl corner Xavien Howard. Howard’s release, however, net the team $18.5 million in cap space.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter told Pat McAfee that he believed Miami would in fact figure something out to ensure Hill remains there for the long run.
“I think that the Dolphins are going to figure out a way to adjust Tyreek Hill’s deal,” he said. “I don’t know if they’re going to tear up the deal and give him a whole new deal, but I think that deal will get adjusted and that Tyreek Hill will wind up getting additional benefits, concessions, salaries, money from the Dolphins to bring him further in line to the receiver that he is.
I think that the Dolphins know that that’s coming. They obviously took care of Jaylen Waddle, knowing they will also have to take care of Tyreek Hill. You remember the Philadelphia Eagles in the span of a week getting done both DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, knowing that Justin Jefferson was coming on this deal and basically that deal gets done. I think that the Eagles got two receiver deals done, and now the Dolphins know that they are in a position to be able to get two receiver deals done with Tyreek Hill next.”
Hill is one of Miami’s most important players along with Tua Tagovailoa, and if it wants to keep him — and its quarterback — happy, a new deal may be in the cards sooner rather than later.
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National Football League
Miami Dolphins
Tyreek Hill
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