Dolphins' Tyreek Hill 'excited to see where I fit' into new WR market as he starts 'looking' for next deal

The offseason has ushered in a surge of new contracts for wide receivers, redefining the market’s top tier for the position.

Hoping to ride that wave is Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill, who said Monday that with the time coming for him to start thinking about his own next deal, he’s intrigued to see what this new pay standard means for him.

“I’m very excited to like just be a part of the old wave, which was $30 million, and Justin Jefferson came and surpassed that, man,” Hill said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. “So, very proud of those guys, happy for obviously my teammate (Jaylen) Waddle getting his new deal. For guys like me, that’s great. I’m 30 years old, also looking for a new deal. So, very, very excited to see where I fit into that category. It’s amazing.”

When Hill signed his current four-year, $120 million extension with the Dolphins after arriving via trade from the Chiefs, his $30 million a year average was at the top of the rankings for the position.

But just in the last three months, three players have surpassed that average, per Over the Cap, including the Vikings’ Jefferson, who set the new high mark with his $35 million per year average. Hill’s Miami teammate Waddle also signed a three-year, $84.75 million extension that’s just below his average.

Hill is slated to make $19.665 million in 2024, the final year of his guaranteed earnings. This suggests that it could be the right time to negotiate an extension to bring his pay more in line with the present standards for a player of his stature.

Hill has been among the best at his position since joining the Dolphins, earning first-team All-Pro honors both years while also continuing his streak of making the Pro Bowl each of his eight seasons. This most recent season, Hill led the league by averaging 112.4 yards per game, with a total of 1,799 yards, just short of his goal of becoming the first WR to break 2,000 yards in a season.

However, it could prove complex to fit Hill’s payment into the Dolphins’ future plans, considering where the team is allocating their funds elsewhere.

In addition to Waddle’s extension, Miami has been engaging in talks with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this summer, and that market has also continued to go up for the QB position with recent deals, including for Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence.

For the time being, Hill is not concentrating on the financial aspect, stating that his current primary goal is to guide his team to postseason triumph. This is something that the Dolphins, despite their regular-season victories, have yet to achieve.

“Absolutely, I’m incredibly excited,” Hill stated, “but the ultimate aim is to clinch the Super Bowl. While it’s great to receive a good paycheck, the opportunity to win a Super Bowl and bring something significant to Miami is a memory that could stay with us eternally. I think that’s profoundly important for all of us. We need to strive for greatness.”