Omar Kelly: Not extending Hill's contract would be a mistake Dolphins can't afford

The Dolphins technically have Hill under contract for next season as a respectable price, but there are no guarantees in his deal, which would be problematic for Hill and his camp.

Miami can do a restructuring or an extension now, and it would actually help extend the expiration date on this roster as presently constructed because re-doing Hill’s deal could create as much as $14 million in additional cap space if he’s given one, or two-year extension, even if he remains one of the NFL’s three highest paid receivers.

And all it would require is a healthy signing bonus from owner Steve Ross.

And like Tagovailoa, whose justifications for his salary demands became even more valid with each new quarterback deal — Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence — that got signed this offseason, if the Dolphins decide to wait — say till next offseason, which is probably their preference — don’t be surprised if the price for a elite receiver goes up like the price for a franchise quarterback did.

Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase will likely leapfrog Justin Jefferson, who will earn $28.4 million a season ($88.743 million is guaranteed) as the NFL’s highest paid receiver either in the coming months, or next offseason when Chase refuses to play in his fifth year option.

And Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb, who is also advocating for a new deal instead of playing on the final year of his rookie deal and the fifth-year option in 2025, will push the bar up even further.

That’s why Miami would be wise to address Hill’s contract now instead of waiting till the end of the season, when the five-time All Pro talent will again be pushing to become the NFL’s first 2,000 yard receiver, a feat he could have achieved the past two seasons if he’d stayed healthy.

Hill, who has had some off-the-field incidents in South Florida, but none of which have resulted in an arrest, has told everyone who will listen that he wants to call South Florida home for the rest of his career, if not life. He recently said he intends to play five more seasons before calling it a career.

The Dolphins need to do their part to make sure those five seasons happen in Miami, ensuring that a first ballot Hall of Fame talent goes into Canton remembered as a Dolphins, and not some NFL nomad who played for multiple teams, and took his talent to highest bidder.

“Ensuring I’m a Dolphin for life, that’s No. 1. That’s priority No. 1, man,” Hill said earlier this summer.

“We already know being greedy ain’t going to help the team,” Hill continued. “Whatever happens, happens, man.”

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