The divorce between 2010s NFL All-Decade Team wide receiver Tyreek Hill and the Miami Dolphins finally came to fruition Monday, as the team announced his release.
Hill, who will turn 32 on March 1, was set to carry a $51.1 million cap hit in 2026 — the final year of a three-year, $90 million extension — which would have given him the highest cap number among non-quarterbacks this coming season. He tore his ACL in Week 4 of the 2025 season against the New York Jets in late September, meaning he likely won’t return until roughly a quarter of the way through the 2026 campaign.
Those two factors led the Dolphins’ new regime — head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan — to move on before free agency opens in March. The decision leaves Miami with $28.2 million in dead money, but it also creates $22.9 million in cap savings by jettisoning Hill now.
After being acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 2022 season, Hill was arguably the NFL’s most dominant receiver in his first two years in South Florida. From 2022 to 2023, he led the league in receiving yards (3,509) and receiving yards per game (106.3) while ranking second in receptions (238) and third in receiving touchdowns (20). His production began to tail off in 2024, and he ended that season by saying he was “out” after Miami’s Week 18 loss to the Jets.
| Games played | 33 | 21 |
|
Receptions |
238 |
102 |
|
Receiving yards per game |
106.3* |
58.3 |
|
Receiving yards per reception |
14.7 |
12.0 |
|
Receiving yards |
3,509* |
1,225 |
|
Receiving touchdowns |
20 |
7 |
* Led NFLÂ
While there’s a lot working against Hill, he should still command a free-agent market. His 11,363 career receiving yards rank ninth-most by a player in his first 10 seasons in NFL history, and his 28 touchdowns of 50 yards or longer are the fourth-most all time. Only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (36), three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson (34) and Hall of Famer Randy Moss (29) have more.
So where could Hill land in 2026? Here’s a look at six potential landing spots for the five-time first-team All-Pro.
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Zachary Pereles
Kansas City Chiefs
This is the obvious one. The Chiefs have salary cap work to do to become compliant before the new league year begins March 11, but a reunion makes sense. Since trading Hill in 2022, Kansas City hasn’t had a true No. 1 wide receiver alongside future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce.
Hill accounted for just over 25% of Kansas City’s receiving yards in his final two seasons there (2020–21). Since his departure, Kelce leads the team at 22.7%, with wide receiver Rashee Rice second at just 10.2%.
Hill and quarterback Patrick Mahomes would also be returning from ACL injuries suffered in 2025, potentially putting their timelines in sync. Hill tweeted about his intrigue regarding offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s return to Kansas City. With Kelce possibly entering his final season in 2026, the Chiefs could reunite their championship trio for one last ride.
Buffalo BillsÂ
If a Chiefs reunion doesn’t materialize, the wide receiver-needy Bills could call their former rival to help quarterback Josh Allen. Khalil Shakir led Buffalo with just 719 receiving yards in 2025, and the team’s receiver usage was unstable, with a league-high eight players logging 100-plus snaps.
Like Kansas City, Buffalo must navigate cap constraints, but Allen’s elite arm talent could entice both sides in a shared push for Super Bowl relevance.
Hill also tweeted sympathy for the Bills following their overtime playoff loss to the Denver Broncos, so perhaps he wouldn’t need much persuading to join Buffalo.
Los Angeles Chargers
Hill to the Chargers makes sense on several levels. Financially, Los Angeles can afford it, entering the offseason with $78.6 million in effective cap space. That’s second-most in the NFL, per Over the Cap.
Quarterback Justin Herbert’s arm strength is another draw. His 24,820 passing yards rank second-most through a player’s first six seasons, trailing only Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (24,885).
There’s also scheme familiarity: former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel now serves as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. Hill could step into a system he already knows and produce quickly once healthy. Hill even tweeted that McDaniel’s move to Los Angeles caught his attention.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are primed for an offensive overhaul after hiring Super Bowl LX champion Klint Kubiak as head coach following his title run as Seattle’s offensive coordinator.
They also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, widely expected to become Indiana national championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.
Las Vegas already features 2024 No. 6 pick running back Ashton Jeanty and 2024 first-team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, plus $76.99 million in effective cap space, third-most in the NFL.
Hill would also fit Kubiak’s system since the new head coach also worked as a San Francisco 49ers assistant coach under Kyle Shanahan — just like McDaniel did before thriving with Hill in Miami.Â
New England PatriotsÂ
The Patriots won the AFC but ran out of steam in Super Bowl LX, falling behind 19-0 in an eventual 29-13 loss to Seattle. Hill could inject needed explosiveness into a receiver room led by Stefon Diggs, who is currently dealing with legal issues. After Diggs’ 1,013 receiving yards and tight end Hunter Henry’s 768, Kayshon Boutte ranked next among Patriots wideouts with 551 yards in 2025.
Hill has shown interest in New England, tweeting his happiness after their AFC title. The Patriots also have $36.9 million in effective cap space — 11th-most in the NFL — and could make another win-now move while Drake Maye remains on his rookie deal.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers ran out of bodies in 2025, a season that ended with a 41-6 divisional-round loss in Seattle. San Francisco lost 270 player games to injury — the most of any playoff team — and the attrition showed in the biggest games.
Receiver uncertainty looms, with Jauan Jennings set for free agency and Brandon Aiyuk missing in action. Brock Purdy still delivered elite efficiency, however, despite missing eight games with a turf toe injury: 58.3% of his third- and fourth-down pass attempts combined produced first downs, the highest rate in the last 35 seasons, per CBS Sports Research.
San Francisco enters the offseason with $37.5 million in effective cap space (10th-most). Hill fits the team’s win-now window with Christian McCaffrey still producing and Trent Williams still chasing a title. Hill played for a Shanahan acolyte in Mike McDaniel. In San Francisco, he’d play for the architect of the offensive system that helped him soar in Miami.