Dolphins' 2025 cap space will not be an easy fix after Tyreek Hill's deal

Tyreek Hill is getting a lot of money from the Miami Dolphins. His cap hit in 2024 won't be too bad, but it will create a big problem in 2025.

The Dolphins cleared out a lot of room when they guaranteed a big chunk of Hill's salary. They now have a little under $36 million to work with, but that number doesn't look as good when you jump ahead to 2025.

Hill's 2024 cap hit is $18.4 million, which jumps to $31.1 million next year and $55 million the following year. The Dolphins have two years to figure out the 2026 season, but next year could be a problem. Miami will be $41.2 million in the red when 2025 rolls around.

Chris Grier has a ton of work to do for the 2025 salary cap

Extensions to Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle also won't help the cap. Tua will count $39 million and Waddle will count only $8 million on his deal. The Dolphins will of course make moves to get under the cap, but it won't be as easy as once thought.

Bradley Chubb's $15.8 million cap hit isn't all that absorbable. Releasing him would push $42 million into the books while only saving $26 million. A post-June 1 designation allows the Dolphins to only eat $15.1 million, but the savings is a paltry $740,000.

Terron Armstead wasn't a guaranteed returning player this year and many don't expect him back, but releasing Armstead next year as a post-June 1 cut only saves Miami $1.5 million against a $9 million cap hit. Miami restructured his contract earlier this offseason. Releasing him prior to the start of the league's new year would give the Dolphins $17 million in cap space against a $27 million dead money hit.

Miami will have to find the money somewhere. It's possible to see someone like Jalen Ramsey get an extension that will reduce his $33 million, and Zach Sieler could reduce his $14 million through a restructuring as well.

Regardless of what the Dolphins do next season, there is $35 million in cap space this year that Grier could potentially move into 2025 if he doesn't spend it and that would be a huge help against next year's cap.