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It didn’t happen, and maybe it was for the best . . .
The Jets were reportedly in the running to trade for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and it was close to happening, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.
“There was a time when we were talking to [the Jets] — it was almost a done deal,” Rosenhaus said.
But Hill ended up getting traded to Miami in late March.
“The Dolphins got in in the nick of time there to get this done, and I give them a lot of credit because a lot goes into this type of contract,” Rosenhaus said.
Now you can decide whether it was “almost a done deal” with the Jets.
But perhaps it was best for the Jets to not get him, especially at this stage of their rebuild. It’s not like they were one piece aways
No question he’s an electrifying talent, but he also might have been a distraction, especially in the New York market.
He’s been making news almost on a weekly basis on his podcast, making some wild statements.
Perhaps due to the $30 million-a-year contract he got from Miami, he has become a lot more vocal than he was in Kansas City, even starting his first podcast.
“It also uncorked something in Hill that made him a very vocal player—one who was much more out there with his takes, opinions, and experiences in a single offseason than his entire NFL career to date,’ wrote Matt Connor for Arrowhead Addict, a site that covers the Chiefs.
He also did a YouTube video on his new mansion in Miami.
While he’s very talented, perhaps they don’t need distractions.
Now Hill claimed he was never coming to the Jets.
“How close was I? Who? The Jets?” Hill asked. “I knew I was going to pick Miami no matter what because I’m basically from here, I’m here all the time. This is home for me, for us.”
But here is the deal. This situation was similar to Deshaun Watson going to Cleveland. The only reason Watson is in Cleveland is they offered the most money by far. He didn’t want to go there. He had scratched them off his list, but then when they made an offer to fully guarantee a $230 million deal, he had a change of heart.
Yes, Hill wanted to go to Miami, but let’s say the Jets offered $30 million a year, and the Dolphins $25 million a year, Rosenhaus and Hill would likely have wanted a trade to the Jets.
Yes, Hill loves South Florida, but the reason he wanted out of Kansas City was to get a monster contract, since he’s in his late 20’s and this could be the last chance to break the bank.
It worked out best for Hill. He got his $30 million a year and got it in South Florida.
But if the Jet made the best trade offer to KC and the best financial offer to the player, he likely would have been a Jet.
I have to add one last thing, and I’ve said this before. I think Joe Douglas had an interest in Hill, but might have also wanted to drive up the price (draft picks and contract) on a division rival, which ended up happening.
Douglas also said in the “Flight 2022” documentary – “I don’t think you can force yourself to go outside of your plan just because of circumstances you can’t control from teams around you.”
In other words – overpay because another team is overpaying.
And you could make a strong argument, that if they did overpay, and ended up landing the player, while he could have helped him on the field, he might have been a little bit of a distraction off it, since he seems to be sewing his wild oats a little bit right now.
July 19, 2022
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