Dolphins cut Tyreek Hill in cost-saving purge, opening uncertain free-agent chapter
On Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 (ET), the Miami Dolphins released five-time All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill as part of a sweeping roster reset aimed at generating significant salary-cap relief. The move — the most notable of several cuts made that day — sends the speedy veteran into free agency while the Dolphins prepare to rebuild under a new coaching and front-office regime.
Massive cap-clearing swing in Miami
The Dolphins moved aggressively on President's Day, parting ways with multiple veterans to create more than $56 million in 2026 cap space. Hill’s departure joined cuts at other positions that together reposition the team financially as the new head coach and general manager overhaul the roster. The club was more than $17 million over the cap a day earlier; these decisions put Miami in a far better posture to pursue targets in free agency and retain flexibility heading into the draft, where the team holds the No. 11 overall pick.
Not every veteran was announced as a simple cut: one high-profile pass rusher remains in limbo and could be designated a post-June 1 release to spread or increase the immediate savings. The wider pattern is clear — a clean-out reminiscent of a full-scale roster reset rather than incremental tinkering.
Hill’s resume, injury and immediate market
Hill leaves Miami after four seasons and an extraordinary career that includes eight Pro Bowl nods and five All-Pro honors. He finishes his Dolphins tenure with 11, 363 receiving yards and 83 touchdowns on 819 receptions, and remains one of the most productive deep threats of the past decade. His peak years in Miami followed a trade ahead of the 2022 season, when he posted consecutive 1, 700-plus-yard campaigns and led the league in 2023 with 1, 799 yards and 13 touchdowns.
But durability and age are central questions. Hill is entering what’s been framed as his age-32 season and is rehabbing a major knee injury — a dislocation and torn ligaments suffered in Week 4 of the 2025 campaign. He had 21 catches for 265 yards and one touchdown before the injury. Given the severity and his age, teams will likely weigh medical reports carefully before making long-term commitments.
Because Hill was released in mid-February, he can sign with a new team immediately rather than waiting for the official start of the new league year. The forthcoming legal-tampering window and the official new-league-year kickoff in March set the calendar for where and when serious offers could take shape. That said, a tempered market and preference for short-term, incentive-laden deals are plausible outcomes as clubs balance upside with the risk of a prolonged rehab.
Roster ripple effects and questions in Miami
Hill’s exit leaves the Dolphins with two wideouts who posted double-digit catches last season: Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington. Several contributors who played in 2025 are pending free agents, and the receiving room will need an influx of talent this offseason. The quarterback position and its uncertainty add another layer of complication to Miami’s plans; passer continuity will factor heavily into how the team addresses the receiving corps.
Beyond wide receiver, the organization signaled a broader philosophical shift. The departures represent a move away from remnants of the prior coaching era and clear an avenue for new personnel choices aligned with the new staff’s vision. For the roster overall, the cap breathing room created by these moves could be decisive in determining whether Miami pursues veteran reinforcements in free agency or leans more heavily on the upcoming draft.
For Hill, the path forward is open but unclear. Teams in need of a veteran playmaker will evaluate his medical progress, his fit within an offensive scheme, and the price required to add a former elite deep threat. For Miami, the decision signals the start of a rebuild — one that will reshape the roster and set a new direction for the franchise in Year 1 under its new leadership.
