The Miami Dolphins’ blockbuster acquisition of elite speed receiver Tyreek Hill on Wednesday has to tip the Buffalo Bills' draft scales a little bit more.
Cornerback already was a prime option for Buffalo with the 25th overall pick in the draft. The Bills should be leaning even more in that direction after Miami’s trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.
It’s an offensive arms race in the AFC, with Deshaun Watson (Cleveland) staying in the conference, and Russell Wilson (Denver) and Matt Ryan (Indianapolis) joining a cast of elite QBs that already included Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert. (Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr and Ryan Tannehill aren’t chopped liver, either).
Now Miami can pair Hill and his 4.29-second speed in the 40-yard dash with the No. 6 pick in last year’s draft, Jaylen Waddle, who has 4.37 speed in the 40.
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The Bills have one elite talent at cornerback in Tre’Davious White. It would be nice to match the AFC’s explosive offenses with a high-end athlete on the other side of the field. Levi Wallace gave the Bills outstanding play the past four years. But Wallace has 4.63 speed. He’s best as a zone corner. There are limitations on how much you want to leave him exposed against people such as Hill (as evidenced on the 64-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Hill in the AFC divisional playoff game).
It’s not guaranteed that the Bills must take a cornerback at No. 25. They could probably get a good one in the second round if someone they love at another position unexpectedly drops to No. 25. But cornerback is looking like a very good first-round pick for the Bills.
Here are a few other random observations on the trade for Hill, in which Miami sent first-, second- and fourth-round picks this year to the Chiefs, along with fourth- and sixth-round picks in 2023:
• It makes some financial sense for the Chiefs to deal Hill rather than pay him huge market value. They already have a bunch of stars on big contracts, and they can get a good receiver in the draft. They now have the 29th and 30th picks this year. But Hill just turned 28 on March 1. He’s not old. The Chiefs have been known to overlook guys with character questions. Isn’t it a red flag that Kansas City wants to move on from Hill?
• Miami is moving heaven and earth to prove that it was correct in trying to tank in 2019 and picking Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall in 2020. If Tagovailoa can’t make it in Miami in 2022, he can’t make it anywhere. Both owner Stephen Ross and General Manager Chris Grier, entering his seventh season, have stuck with Tagovailoa, even when former coach Brian Flores seemed to waver in his support of the QB. The Dolphins also have improved their shaky offensive line in free agency with expensive signings of tackle Terron Armstead and guard Connor Williams. Still, on the list of AFC quarterbacks (see above), where would you rank Tua? Certainly not in the top eight.
• If you’re an elite wide receiver, do you really want to leave Patrick Mahomes? Certainly, Hill has extreme confidence in his ability and isn’t worried about not having success somewhere else. And Hill should be outstanding in any scheme. But Mahomes is the gold standard. To paraphrase new Bills edge rusher Von Miller: Leaving Mahomes? Who does that? (Miller, you’ll recall, was referring to Aaron Donald.) Hill has played six NFL seasons. He’s a slam-dunk Hall of Famer if he stays with Mahomes and Andy Reid. We'll see if the chemistry is as great in Miami.
• Hill’s yards per catch dropped from 14.7 in 2020 to 11.2 in 2021 because teams protected deep more against Mahomes and the Chiefs got the ball in Hill’s hands more underneath. The idea that he’s not as much of a vertical threat at age 28 is ridiculous. See the 64-yard TD vs. Buffalo.
• We’ll see how the contract for Hill breaks down. He’s getting $72.2 million guaranteed. Davante Adams just got $65.6 million guaranteed from the Raiders. The cost to the Bills of extending Stefon Diggs no doubt has gone up. It’s the price of doing business.
