Why the Chargers Should Avoid Tyreek Hill in Free Agency

The Los Angeles Chargers enter the offseason with the third-most salary cap space in the NFL at $82,942,941, according to Over The Cap.

With the Miami Dolphins releasing five-time First-Team All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill on Monday, it prompts the question of whether the Bolts should pursue the veteran in free agency—but here’s why they shouldn’t.

The idea of reuniting Hill with new Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel—who was his head coach for four seasons in Miami—or pairing one of the best deep threats in football history with Justin Herbert’s cannon of an arm sounds exciting. But there are just as many reasons why it wouldn’t be a smart move.

Hill, who turns 32 in March, is still recovering from one of the more gruesome leg injuries in recent memory. In Miami’s Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets, he suffered a dislocated left knee along with tears to the ACL, meniscus and patellar tendon, cutting his 10th NFL season short.

There’s no telling whether Hill will be able to return to form after such a catastrophic injury, and as an undersized receiver, it’s fair to question how effective he’ll be if he can no longer take advantage of defenses with his most lethal skill—his speed.

Additionally, Hill has a proven history of off-field trouble, which does not align with the culture Los Angeles is building under Jim Harbaugh. Most recently, he was investigated by the NFL in 2025 following allegations of domestic violence made by his estranged wife, Keeta Vaccaro, the sister of former New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro.

Hill was also considered a bad apple in the Dolphins’ locker room during the final season of his Miami tenure, with multiple reports indicating he was late to a training camp practice and skipped team stretches after he had publicly lectured teammates on accountability. This behavior raised serious leadership concerns.

While making the splash signing of a player with a resume like Hill would certainly draw attention to the Chargers, the risks far outweigh the potential reward. Between the uncertainty surrounding his recovery from a tragic knee injury, a history of off-field issues and questions surrounding his leadership and accountability at this stage of his career, Hill could disrupt the culture Los Angeles has been building and become a distraction.

Rather than chasing a high-profile veteran who comes with significant risk, the Chargers would be better served continuing to develop the young talent in their wide receiver room, with Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris leading the way.