Sunday’s Week 18 game could not have gone worse for the Miami Dolphins. In order for them to make the playoffs, they would’ve had to watch the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos and they would’ve had to beat the New York Jets. Well, the Broncos embarrassed the Chiefs’ backups, and the Dolphins lost by two scores against the lowly Jets in their must-win game.
As if missing out on the playoffs and finishing the season with a sub-.500 record wasn’t bad enough for Miami, Sunday was capped off by Tyreek Hill admitting that he wants out of Miami. What looked like a harmless interview at first ended with Hill saying the last thing any Dolphins fan wanted to hear.
“I gotta do what’s best for me and my family. If that’s here or that’s wherever the case may be…I’m opening the door. I’m out bro,” Hill said.
Assuming Hill’s wish is granted by the Dolphins sometime over the offseason, these three potential landing spots make a lot of sense for the eight-time Pro Bowler.
Hill requesting a trade means that we will almost hear rumors linking him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have been linked to virtually every big-name wideout to enter the trade market over the last year, and it isn’t hard to see why. They desperately need a high-end receiver.
George Pickens’ upside is obvious, but is he consistent enough to be a true WR1? Even if the answer is yes, who is Pittsburgh’s second-best receiver? Calvin Austin III? The Steelers need another high-end weapon, and Hill is as good of a receiver as they can realistically get.
The question with Pittsburgh is, will Hill want to go there? The Steelers consistently make the playoffs, but their quarterback situation is far from set, with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields ticketed for free agency once the season concludes. Even if Wilson and/or Fields is in Pittsburgh, would Hill catch passes from either of them?
If he’s open to Pittsburgh, the Steelers should do what they can to bring him over. Yes, Hill is coming off a down year and might be up there in age, but with better quarterback play than what he got most of the year in Miami, there’s reason to believe he’ll bounce back in 2024.
The Los Angeles Chargers bounced back from a frustrating 5-12 2023 season to go 11-6 in 2024, earning the No. 5 seed in the AFC. Their defense was elite, Jim Harbaugh’s presence helped immensely, and Justin Herbert looked pretty darn good too.
What’s most impressive about Los Angeles’ run to the playoffs is that they were able to earn their spot despite having just one reliable receiver. Rookie Ladd McConkey had an outstanding rookie year for Los Angeles, recording 82 catches, seven touchdowns, and over 1,100 yards. With guys like Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston ranked behind him on the depth chart, the need for another wideout is glaring.
There’s no reason Hill wouldn’t want to play for the Chargers. He’d get to play in Los Angeles with an elite quarterback on a team that has an elite defense and a ton of available targets. It should be a no-brainer for both Hill and the Chargers to try and get something done.
Hill spent each of his first six seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he’d go from a fifth-round pick to one of the best receivers in football. Both Hill and the Chiefs have had success since he was traded away from Kansas City, but it isn’t hard to see a world where these two sides find a way to reunite.
The Chiefs have a good amount of talent in their wide receiver room right now, but how that looks after the year remains to be seen. Marquise Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, and Justin Watson are all set to hit free agency after the year. They do have Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy locked in, but Kansas City could use at least one high-end weapon for Mahomes to throw to. Obviously, it doesn’t get much better than Hill.
The money might be an issue, and the Dolphins certainly won’t want to send him to Kansas City, but if Hill demands a trade to the Chiefs, they might not have a choice. If Hill wants to return and the Chiefs want him back, they loom as serious threats to potentially three-peat and then add one of the best weapons in the sport to a Patrick Mahomes-led offense.
