The free-agent market is not expected to be deep at wide receiver this year, but there are suddenly plenty of receivers on the trade block, and Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins should be one of them.
As the days go by, more and more members of the media are carving out words that outline an exit plan for the speedy receiver. There are three obstacles that need to be overcome, four if you include the ego of Dolphins general manager Chris Grier.
1. The Dolphins will have to eat a large chunk of Hill's salary
2. The Dolphins will get nothing in return that would be close to Hill's value
3. Tyreek Hill's age will be a factor
Regardless, there should be a market for a guy who has a few years left in his legs. Across the landscape of the NFL, wide receivers are popping up all over the trade rumor lists recently. Deebo Samuel of the San Fancisco 49ers is the most notable, and according to FOX Sports's Jordan Schultz on Friday, he is drawing interest from the Washington Commanders and Houston Texans.
Samuel, however, is not the only one being talked about, and that is a reason why Grier should be taking phone calls, or at the very least making a few of his own.
Along with Samuel, the receivers listed below could end up with a new team this offseason via trade.
Brandon Aiuyuk - San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers reportedly have fielded several calls about a potential trade.
D.K. Metcalf - Seattle Seahawks
There are new reports that Metcalf is available if a trade offer they like is received. The Green Bay Packers have been linked as a potential suitor.
Tee Higgins - Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have said they want to keep their second-best receiver, but there is growing speculation that they may instead try to tag and trade him. Note that this is speculation only and not a rumor.
Davante Adams - New York Jets
The Jets have been involved in trade speculation since the moment Aaron Rodgers left the Big Apple.
Garrett Wilson - New York Jets
The Jets deny there is fire behind the early offseason smoke about Wilson being available, but that doesn't mean there isn't interest if the team can move him.
NFL trade speculation and rumors should provide the Miami Dolphins with an out for Tyreek Hill
Hill may be older than the other receivers, but his consistency throughout his career is hard to overlook. Hill wants to win, and he has been a winner. His desire to win is also hard to overlook, and some teams should see this as a positive.
Holding all of this back, however, is that the Dolphins are going to want a reasonable draft pick in return. It's hard to imagine anyone giving up a first-round draft pick for Hill, but considering a team drafting late in round one looking for receiver help, it may find using the selection to add a proven veteran with three years left in his career is a better option, especially if Miami prepared to eat a large portion of the contract.
For now, Hill's name isn't being mentioned, and the chances of him moving are not very good, but as teams begin making roster changes and start to believe they are a top wide receiver away from perhaps getting deeper in the playoffs, Hill's name could start to become hot.