Lessons Learned a Year After the Tyreek Hill Trade

The Chiefs made a surprising blockbuster trade just over a year ago, and it seems to have worked out well for both parties.

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, “the trade” was executed much to the dismay of Kansas City Chiefs fans all over the world. 

Just a few days removed from the one-year anniversary of said trade, many feel much differently about it today than they did the day it occurred. The Chiefs traded All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for 2022 first-, second- and fourth-round picks, as well as 2023 fourth- and sixth-round offerings. How did that work out for both teams for the 2022 season?

It was one of those rare trades that seems to have worked out for both teams. The Dolphins got an instant playmaker that upgraded their offense, with Hill finishing the season second in the NFL in targets (170), receptions (119), yards (1,710), plays over 25 yards (25) and tied for the league lead in plays over 40 yards (7). Despite dealing with up-and-down quarterback play all season, the Dolphins even made their first playoff appearance since 2016. The arrow is pointing up for Miami, and Hill’s presence is helping achieve positive results.

The Chiefs got younger, freed up Patrick Mahomes to be more versatile in the offense, secured future picks in the upcoming draft and ultimately won a Super Bowl in year one without Hill in the offense. There were many folks who assumed the Chiefs would take a step back after losing Hill. Was the trade compensation worth what Hill would bring to the table in a window when the team should be in “win now” mode? The short answer is yes.

Kansas City gained youth on defense thanks to the flexibility granted by the draft compensation the Hill trade brought to the franchise. Trent McDuffie, Skyy Moore and Joshua Williams are the names that are most closely associated with the Hill trade to this point, as they were taken with picks acquired directly from Miami or picks used to trade and get those players. All those rookies did was help the Chiefs win a Super Bowl.

Now the Chiefs have fourth- and sixth-round picks in the upcoming draft to either use as trade bait or that general manager Brett Veach can use to find a diamond in the rough. It is rare to hit on picks in the fourth round and beyond, but he has managed to do so in the past couple of drafts.

No matter what Veach does with those picks, McDuffie, Moore and Williams should all make nice second-year jumps. McDuffie was hurt for a portion of the season but showed flashes of brilliance in his time as a starter. Moore was never fully immersed in the offense this past season and has a good chance to see his role expand in 2023. Williams could see an expanded workload.

The cap flexibility earned by not having to pay a wide receiver over $25 million per year is also an advantage for the Chiefs moving forward. They can use some of that money to build as some of these younger players reach the ends of their rookie deals. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith are a couple of names along the offensive line that will be due for extensions soon. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed will be up for a new deal, and Chris Jones is due for one now. The Chiefs won’t be able to pay everybody, but they will be able to retain some players they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to if they still had Hill on the roster.

While many thought the trade would make the Chiefs take a step back in year one without Hill, they actually took a step forward. It’s hard to put such lofty expectations on a team moving forward, but at this point, it seems to be Super Bowl-or-bust for the Chiefs. And why not? In a retooling year, they went undefeated in their division and won the Super Bowl. It won’t be easy but if Veach and co. continue to follow a similar plan year in and year out, the results should continue to be positive.

After one of the biggest trades in franchise history, there was a lot of skepticism. Now that a year has passed, it’s safe to say the Chiefs made the right decision. Moving forward, trusting Veach’s moves and relying on Mahomes should be easy for Chiefs fans to fall back on. Hill can continue to thrive with the Dolphins and the Chiefs can continue to thrive without him. It’s a true win-win situation, but the Chiefs are sitting on top of the throne with the ultimate prize as the defending Super Bowl champs.