What to Make of the Tyreek Goings-On

Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill still searching for that elusive big play among off-the-field turmoil and trade speculation

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs against Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

What's going on with Tyreek Hill? What's not going on with Tyreek Hill?

And then, even more importantly, where does everything lead?

Questions, questions, questions.

We've got a lot of those with the Miami Dolphins these days, but specifically with their mercurial wide receiver.

There's the lack of big plays.

There's the lack of production, period.

There's the trade speculation, which is up and running again after the Dolphins' embarrassing season-opening loss at Indianapolis.

And last, but certainly not least, there's the recent report of domestic violence allegations made by his wife during divorce proceedings.

Those allegations, which Hill's lawyer has denied, could prompt an investigation from the NFL as part of the league's personal conduct policy and ultimately potentially lead to some kind of discipline.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said before practice Wednesday that he and the team are aware of the allegations.

"We’ve been in communication with the NFL and we’re going to let the process play out," McDaniel said. "As far as our team’s focus, it is 100% on the Patriots and that’s what it should be – a division opponent and on the heels of an undesirable outing. We’re firmly there.”

The specter of league discipline certainly won't do much for Hill's trade value, if and when the time comes when the Dolphins decide it's time to move on.

In the aftermath of the loss at Indianapolis, speculation began and included possible destinations, such as a return to Kansas City and the Chiefs or possibly another trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who already got Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey from the Dolphins this year.

As we've said before, though, trading Hill basically would be punting on the season because the Dolphins simply can't be as good without him as with him.

Besides, the two biggest motivators for a trade would be addition by subtraction (as in getting rid of a player who has provided many headaches with off-the-field situations) and then getting out from under his contract.

But there's also no way the Dolphins can expect great value in a trade, not with the mounting injuries and not with the potential of NFL disciplinary action.

As has been said in many places, the logical scenario is that the Dolphins will hang on to Hill for as long as they believe there's hope of a playoff run in the 2025 season. And, as bad as the team looked in its opener, that still remains the case.

STUCK IN NEUTRAL

The Dolphins, though, aren't likely to make much noise in the AFC this season if they can't get Hill going.

As part of the disaster that was the opener, he had only four receptions for only 40 yards.

As has been discussed ad nauseam since then, that extended his streak of games without a catch longer than 30 yards to 17 games — back to the 2024 opener, to be precise.

But it's not just the long ball that's missing.

Hill's overall production just hasn't been there, and it's not just data based on playing with Tyler Huntley or other non-Tua QBs. In his past three games with Tagovailoa at quarterback — at Houston and against San Francisco last season and at Indy this year — Hill has averaged 35 receiving yards.

Not exactly NFL Network No. 1 player on the Top 100 list material there.

Another issue has been a series of injuries, with new problems popping up on a regular basis.

Against the Colts on Sunday, he went inside the blue tent to get checked out after being thrown to the ground, though he returned to the game.

This, of course, comes after the wrist injury of 2024 that necessitated offseason surgery, the high ankle sprain that slowed him at the end of the 2023 season, and then a foot injury that had him listed as questionable before the Arizona game at Hard Rock Stadium last October.

This sort of thing can happen to 30-something wide receivers — Hill turned 31 in March — and the problem there is that once injuries start, they tend not to stop.

It's just one reason it was a strange move for the Dolphins to give Hill a contract extension before the 2024 season when they really didn't need to do that, but that's an issue that's already been discussed.

That can't be undone. What the Dolphins have to hope is that Hill once again can become the dominating player he was in 2022 and 2023, which would help them become contenders again, or at the very least increase his market value if they decided to trade him regardless.

In the meantime, though, all we have are questions.