Does a Tyreek Hill Trade Make Sense for the Cleveland Browns?

More and more speculation is building that the Miami Dolphins could trade Tyreek Hill before the start of the NFL regular season, and with the Cleveland Browns in dire need of wide receiver help, some may be wondering if a move for Hill could make sense for the Browns.

Right now, Cleveland has one reliable receiver on its roster: Jerry Jeudy. That's it. Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash are entirely unproven, and Diontae Johnson has fallen off hard over the last several years. The Browns chose not to address the position in the NFL Draft, and Johnson was the only free-agent wide out they signed.

As a result, there has been some trade conjecture regarding Cleveland as far as a wide receiver is concerned. Terry McLaurin has been floated as a target, and some feel that the Browns will make some sort of move to rectify the problem before Week 1.

But could Hill actually be the answer for Cleveland?

Tyreek Hill is incredibly tempting, but also very risky

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) sits on the stands after running out of bounds. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Hill has long been one of the most explosive playmakers in all of football. That was on full display during his first two seasons with the Dolphins in 2022 and 2023 when he posted back-to-back 1,700-yard campaigns. The question, though, is whether or not he is that player anymore.

Last season, Hill finished with under 1,000 yards for the first time since 2019, and that year, he registered 860 yards in 12 games. He absolutely would have hit the 1,000 mark had he played the full campaign, so really, 2024 was his least productive showing since his rookie season in 2015.

Now 31 years old, Hill may have lost a step. He's still really, really good, but it stands to reason that he may not the same five-time First-Team All-Pro that terrorized opposing secondaries for the better part of the first decade of his professional career.

Not only that, but Hill carries cap hits of $27.7 million and a whopping $51.9 million over the final two years of his contract, even if the last year isn't guaranteed.

Do the Browns really want to surrender draft capital for Hill, who could very well be in steep decline and would merely represent a costly roster spot for the squad?

As enticing as the idea of adding Hill may sound, it just doesn't make a ton of sense for Cleveland. Let's face it: the Browns are rebuilding, and even if they would surely love to bring in some more weapons for whoever will be playing quarterback in 2025, an aging Hill isn't the most prudent solution.