When coach Mike McDaniel took the Miami Dolphins job, most thought that he envisioned receiver Jaylen Waddle as his new Deebo Samuel. Turns out, McDaniel had someone else in mind for that role: Kansas City Chiefs speedster Tyreek Hill.
Of course, no one in early February even knew that Hill was available for trade. But when the Dolphins shocked the world Wednesday by sending five draft picks (including a first-rounder) to Kansas City, McDaniel suddenly had one of the most dangerous weapons in all of football. And he plans to use him in a variety of ways.
How Miami Dolphins plan to use Tyreek Hill
Both Hill and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, were asked about Hill’s expected role with the Dolphins — who this week made Hill the highest-paid receiver in NFL history.
They both brought up the same name: Deebo Samuel.
Hill’s answer: “I can’t share the secrets, man. But he just said, ‘Look, ‘Reek’ just gear up, it’s going to be fun, alright?’ I’m just going to say this — the way that he utilized Deebo Samuel in that offense was crazy. Deebo Samuel is a freak athlete. I’m just excited. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Rosenhaus’ answer: “I think it’s going to be great. We talked to Mike McDaniel beforehand and Chris [Grier] about what his role would be and just looking at Deebo Samuel’s role. And I think the way they used Deebo Samuel is going to be a correlation of how I expect them to use Tyreek. So, the way Kansas City used him was magnificent, but I think there’s even potentially another level that you could see Tyreek in a Deebo Samuel role.”
How fair is the Tyreek Hill-Deebo Samuel comparison?
For Dolphins fans, that scenario is absolutely tantalizing. Samuel is one of the toughest covers in all of football. His 18.2 yards per catch in 2022 led the NFL. Samuel, who lines up all over the field, had 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards, and 14 offensive touchdowns. It’s hard to say how he’s more valuable — as a receiver or a rusher.
McDaniel, as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator in 2021, unlocked Deebo’s great potential. Both Hill and Samuel are dynamic athletes who are lethal in space. But Pro Football Network NFL analyst Dalton Miller said the comparison between Samuel and Hill is imperfect.
Miller wrote: “Samuel and Hill aren’t a one-to-one comparison in physical profile, athletic ability, or play style. However, Hill’s ability with the ball in his hands is hardly matched by anyone in the league aside from Samuel. Hill won’t align in the backfield and carry the ball at 185 pounds like Deebo does at 215, but he will carry it occasionally there and more often in motion.”
But what Hill lacks in size, he more than makes up in speed. He might be the fastest player in the entire league.
“We felt in analyzing it that Tyreek deserved to become the highest-paid receiver,” Rosenhaus said. “What he does, you can look at his statistics, but it’s much more than that. He’s a dangerous threat whenever he touches the football. And he’s also a guy that impacts the rest of the game.
“You’ve got to double cover him,” Rosenhaus continued. “You’ve got to respect his deep speed. He opens things up for players all over the field. Mike Gesicki, the running game, other receivers. He’s not a traditional receiver who runs a route. He’s a guy you have to respect every play.”