The Miami Dolphins used Presidents Day to detonate the start of a franchise reset, highlighted by the release of star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The move, part of a sweeping series of roster cuts, signals a dramatic shift under first-year head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Hill’s departure is the stunner. An eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, he is rehabbing a major leg injury suffered in Week 4 of the 2025 season — a dislocated knee with torn ligaments — and his availability for 2026 remains uncertain. His release comes before $11 million of his salary was set to become fully guaranteed this month. Now 32, Hill enters free agency with 819 career receptions, 11,363 receiving yards and 83 touchdowns, though teams will weigh both his age and recovery timeline before making a commitment.
The Dolphins’ housecleaning extended well beyond Hill. Miami also moved on from pass rusher Bradley Chubb, guard James Daniels and wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in a sequence of cuts that clears more than $56 million in 2026 cap space. Chubb’s transaction has yet to be formally processed and could be designated as a post–June 1 release for additional savings. Collectively, the moves swing Miami from roughly $17 million over the projected cap to a position of flexibility entering free agency.
Hill’s four-year run in Miami began with fireworks after his trade from the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2022 season. He immediately powered one of the league’s most explosive offenses, producing back-to-back 1,700-yard campaigns on 119 receptions apiece. In 2023, he led the NFL with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns, cementing his place as the sport’s most feared deep threat. Injuries and roster instability, however, curtailed that dominance, and Miami slid from consecutive playoff appearances to back-to-back losing seasons.
The ripple effects are significant. With Hill and Westbrook-Ikhine gone, only Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington remain on the roster after posting double-digit receptions last season. Additional receivers, including Cedrick Wilson Jr. and D'Wayne Eskridge, are pending free agents. Uncertainty also lingers at quarterback, with the future of Tua Tagovailoa unresolved.
Armed with cap space and the No. 11 overall pick in April’s draft, Miami has the resources to reshape its roster. But the sweeping departures underscore the scale of the transition. The Mike McDaniel era’s most recognizable faces are exiting, and a new chapter under Hafley and Sullivan is firmly underway.
