NFL Personnel Projecting Hill Traded to Division Opponent

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill's status is a big story to watch in the offseason

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Will the Miami Dolphins take a step back in 2025? Could they wind up trading wide receiver Tyreek Hill within the division?

Both things will happen, at least based on an ESPN story from Jeremy Fowler asking NFL executives, scouts and personnel executives for some fearless predictions for next season.

"This one is wild," Fowler wrote, "but Hill's displeasure in Miami is out there after his Week 18 comments, and the Patriots hope to be on the brink of contention soon enough under new coach Mike Vrabel.

"In-division trades are not as rare as they were a decade ago. It's largely about which team offers the best value."

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Trading a wide receiver to the Patriots actually wouldn't be a first for the Dolphins because they did it three years ago when they moved DeVante Parker and a fifth-round pick for a third-round selection. And Dolphins fans also probably remember the 2007 trade that sent recently fired wide receivers coach Wes Welker to the Patriots for second- and seventh-round picks, a move that helped New England produce a 16-0 regular season that very year.

Hill had an off year in 2024 as the Dolphins missed the playoffs for the first time in the three-year Mike McDaniel tenure. Hill caught 81 passes, as oppposed to 119 in 2023. He also finished with 959 yards receiving and six touchdowns. It is a far cry from the 1,799 yards he amassed the year before, to go with his 13 touchdowns. It was the first time Hill finished a season with less than 1,000 yards since 2019.

Many of Hill's problems in Miami last season could be attributed to the fact Tua Tagovailoa missed 6 1/2 games due to a concussion and a hip injury. He did not find much success with Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson or Tim Boyle.

Hill said after the season finale at the New York Jets he wanted out of Miami. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has since backed off of that statement slightly, but Hill has not come out with any statements to the contrary.

Fowler said this might be the move for the Patriots to make if they cannot sign Tee Higgins in free agency. They obviously want to get quarterback Drake Maye some flashy toys. Fowler thinks the Patriots might dangle a package including a day-two pick to the Dolphins in exchange for Hill.

The NFL personnel that Fowler contacted also projected the Dolphins would join the Minnesota Vikings in taking a step back in 2025.

"Another team on the radar here is Miami, which has shown promise and narrowly missed the playoffs, but is largely stuck in the middle," Fowler wrote.