The Miami Dolphins are planning to release former All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill and former Pro Bowl linebacker Bradley Chubb, according to sources that spoke to ESPN's Adam Schefter, in the first clear-cut sign that the franchise is entering a rebuild.
Both of these moves are expected to have a major financial impact on the Dolphins, who found themselves $24.3 million over the cap coming into today. By releasing both Hill and Chubb, the Dolphins are expected to save between $30.1 million and $55.4 million, depending on whether the releases are designated as a pre-June 1 cut or a post-June 1 cut.
Following a historic run with the Kansas City Chiefs, Tyreek Hill was traded to Miami on March 23rd, 2022. During his tenure with the Dolphins, Hill recorded 340 catches in 54 games for 4,733 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns. He was also elected to two Pro Bowls and was twice named a First-Team All-Pro.
Meanwhile, Bradley Chubb was traded to the Dolphins in November of 2022 after spending the first four full seasons of his career with the Denver Broncos. Once in Miami, he signed a five-year, $110 million extension. In three seasons with the ‘Phins, he recorded 22 sacks and was named to the 2022 Pro Bowl.
The rebuild has begun in South Beach
The Dolphins had two directions to go in next season: either they could try to run it back with basically the same roster and compete for a playoff spot, or they could cut ties with a lot of the dead weight and begin an official rebuild. It’s now clear that new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and new head coach Jeff Hafley were not satisfied with the way the roster was constructed, so they are diving headfirst into a rebuild.
By making these two simple moves, the 'Phins are getting themselves out of the red. If these releases are designated as pre-June 1st moves, then Miami will save $30.1 million. However, if the teams can wait until after June 1st to make these releases official, the dead money owed to Bradley Chubb can be spread across the next two seasons, allowing Miami to save over $55.4 million! In all likelihood, Hill will be released before June 1st, saving the team $22.8 million to use in free agency.
The Hill release makes a lot of sense. He's an aging wide receiver whose effectiveness is based on his blazing speed. After suffering a devastating knee injury last year and having to undergo a major surgery, it was apparent that Hill had likely played his last snap in a Dolphins jersey. You don't dedicate $51.1 million to a speed-reliant older wideout who is recovering from a dislocated kneecap and multiple ligament tears. By letting Tyreek Hill go, Miami will save itself at least $22.8 million and upwards of $35.2 million.
The Bradley Chubb release is a little bit more surprising but also expected. Though an effective pass rusher, he does not warrant a $62.7 million cap hit over the next two seasons. Despite leading Miami in sacks last season with 8.5, the defense's underperformance, coupled with the emergence of former first-round pick Chop Robinson as a pass rusher, makes this move more palatable.
The Tua Tagovailoa dilemma
At the end of the day, these decisions tell us that the 'Phins will not be very competitive next season. Now that the franchise has its desired GM-head coach combination, Miami can start retooling its roster to meet the collective visions of Sullivan and Hafley.
The most crucial step in the rebuild will be finding out what to do with Tua Tagovailoa, who is scheduled to have a $175.4 million cap hit over the next three years. Unfortunately for Dolphins fans, their team will probably have to hold onto Tua if they can't find a willing trade partner this off-season. If they were to cut him, they wouldn’t experience any savings and would actually lose between $11.1 million and $42.9 million in the deal. But if they wait until next off-season, they could save at least $21.6 million.
In all likelihood, they are going to have to wait to make a decision on Tua until next off-season. Nobody in the NFL is going to take on that unholy contract. Even if the Dolphins were able to find somebody to trade with, they would likely have to part ways with valuable draft assets to put together a package enticing enough for their trade partner to overlook Tua's contract.
Tua Tagovailoa will still be a member of the Miami Dolphins next season. However, I expect the 'Phins to add at least one quarterback to their roster, and whoever that is will be the starter or the backup to Quinn Ewers. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa will ride the bench as the most expensive third-stringer in NFL history. He won't start any games, but he will still be a member of the team when the 2026-27 season begins. Only after the season ends can they begin to think about what to do with Tua.
