In its yearly predictions survey of NFL team executives, scouts and personnel figures, the New England Patriots are predicted to make a move for disgruntled Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill during the 2025 offseason.

“The Patriots are desperate. They need a guy, that alpha that can be friendly for Drake Maye,” a veteran NFC personnel man told ESPN. “And there's a higher chance of the draft picks [Miami would receive in a trade] being higher than with a contender.”

While trading within the division has typically been avoided, there are benefits for both teams in this particular move. The positive for New England is obvious — it would bring in one of the most talented receivers in the NFL for a young quarterback who still needs weapons on the outside. Hill had a run of four straight 1,000-yard seasons prior to 2024, including a pair of 1,700+ seasons in 2022 and 2023.

The Patriots' last 1,000-yard receiver was Julian Edelman in 2019, while their top target in 2024 was tight end Hunter Henry at 674 yards. New England had only one receiver to eclipse the 600-yard mark this season with DeMario Douglas coming in at 621.

Hill had a more inconsistent 2024 due to the injury concerns surrounding Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, which forced Hill to try to create chemistry with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. Despite that, Hill still finished with 959 yards on the season, including a season-best 130 yards in the first game of the year against Jacksonville.

The positive for Miami is the ability to move on from a talented but unhappy Hill, with the flexibility to recoup some trade capital in the process. The Patriots currently hold the following picks for the 2025 draft:

  • R1 (4)
  • R2 (38)
  • R3 (69)
  • R3 (77)
  • R4 (104)
  • R5 (143)
  • R7 (217)
  • R7 (220)
  • R7 (238)

The Dolphins made a push at the end of the season for the playoffs before ultimately missing out at 8-9, capped by a disappointing 32-20 loss to the New York Jets to end the season. Following the game, Hill told reporters he was “out,” suggesting he would be looking for another destination in 2025. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said he followed up with Hill and stated the receiver never specifically asked for a trade, while Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Hill had accepted accountability and described his previous behavior as “unacceptable.”

Miami could use additional draft capital to rebuild a defense that has 14 unrestricted free agents heading into the offseason. The Dolphins' salary cap situation also makes re-signing depth pieces a bit trickier, as the website OverTheCap has Miami's cap in the red by $11,909,730.