Julian Hill non-tender and Dolphins re-sign defenders, signaling roster recalibration

The Miami Dolphins opened the new league year with a split approach: retaining some depth pieces while letting others reach the open market. One of the clearest examples is the decision to non-tender julian hill, a move that turns the tight end into an unrestricted free agent. Alongside that, Miami announced Wednesday evening that it re-signed defensive tackle Matthew Butler and cornerback A. J. Green III, pointing to a targeted, position-by-position reshaping.

Miami Dolphins re-sign Matthew Butler and A. J. Green III on Wednesday evening

Miami confirmed two keep-in-house decisions as free agency opened, bringing back Matthew Butler and A. J. Green III. The timing mattered: the Dolphins had “several players hitting free agency on Wednesday when the new league year officially opened, ” yet chose to finalize agreements with two defenders right as they were heading toward the market.

Green, 27, has appeared in 39 NFL games with two starts, and his recorded production includes 41 tackles, seven passes defensed, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. Butler, 26, has appeared in 27 games with two starts, totaling 27 tackles and a half-sack across his four seasons. In a narrow sense, the confirmed actions show Miami prioritizing continuity for two defensive depth options as the market opened.

Green’s path has included multiple stops. He played at Oklahoma State, earning All-Big 12 honors twice, then went undrafted in 2020. Across six seasons, he has also spent time with the Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, and Los Angeles Rams. Butler entered the league as a fifth-round pick (No. 175 overall) in the 2022 NFL draft out of Tennessee, spent three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, then signed with Miami last year.

Julian Hill becomes an unrestricted free agent after Miami’s non-tender decision

The Dolphins also made a separate call that moved in the opposite direction, choosing to non-tender julian hill as free agency started. Hill entered the offseason as a restricted free agent, a status that would have allowed Miami to match an offer if it had tendered him a contract. Instead, the Dolphins declined to tender what would have been a $3. 5 million contract, removing the right-of-first-refusal mechanism and making Hill free to sign elsewhere.

The context frames Hill as “reliable” rather than high-profile. The tight end is listed at 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds and is 25 years old. He entered the NFL as an undrafted player out of Campbell, then carved out a role over multiple seasons. While Hill has not caught an NFL touchdown, the context describes him as known for blocking and as someone who can function as a “useful big target” when called upon.

His receiving line has climbed year to year in the details provided. In his rookie 2023 season, he played 15 games and had six catches for 48 yards. In 2024, he played 16 games and made 12 catches for 100 yards. In 2025, he played 14 games and posted career highs with 15 catches for 140 yards. That progression sits at the center of the tension in the move: Miami opted not to make the tender commitment even as Hill’s usage, at least by catches and yards, increased each season listed.

Dolphins free agency choices point to selective retention and open-market churn

Taken together, Miami’s early free agency moves show a roster-management pattern grounded in two confirmed actions: re-signing defenders while declining to tender a restricted free agent on offense. The re-signings of Butler and Green indicate an effort to keep familiar pieces on the defensive side. The non-tender of Hill creates immediate churn on the offensive side by pushing a known in-house player into unrestricted free agency for the 2026 NFL season.

Based on context data, the players involved also suggest a focus on role players with defined usage rather than splash additions within these particular decisions. Green’s stat line includes turnovers (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries) and pass breakups (seven passes defensed) across 39 appearances, while Butler’s production is lighter but steady over 27 appearances with a half-sack. Hill’s value is described less through touchdowns and more through blocking, with receiving totals that rose from 48 yards in 2023 to 140 yards in 2025.

• A. J. Green III: 39 games (2 starts), 41 tackles, 7 passes defensed, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries
• Matthew Butler: 27 games (2 starts), 27 tackles, 0. 5 sack
• Julian Hill: 2023: 15 games, 6 catches, 48 yards; 2024: 16 games, 12 catches, 100 yards; 2025: 14 games, 15 catches, 140 yards

If the current trajectory continues, Miami’s opening-week approach could keep leaning toward retaining select internal defenders like Butler and Green while allowing certain offensive contributors, such as Hill, to test the market without a tender commitment. Should a shift occur and Miami decide it needs Hill’s blocking and size profile more than it wants the flexibility gained by a non-tender, the context does not show a mechanism for reversal here; the confirmed result is that Hill is now an unrestricted free agent able to sign where he likes.

The next confirmed signal in the context is straightforward: Hill’s status has changed, and he can sign elsewhere for the 2026 NFL season, while Butler and Green remain in Miami after Wednesday evening’s announcements. What the context does not resolve is the specific contract terms for Butler and Green, or how Miami will replace Hill’s snaps and role if he departs, leaving the broader roster impact to be clarified by subsequent transactions.