The Cleveland Browns have a laundry list of personnel priorities on the offensive side of the football this spring, and landing a true No. 1 wide receiver is right at the top.
Ben Solak of ESPN acknowledged as much earlier this week when he authored a “bold prediction” that the Browns will ultimately sign Brandon Aiyuk who appears bound for a permanent separation from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason.
In a fairly similar set of circumstances to Aiyuk is Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill is coming off an ACL tear in late September, but should be back healthy in plenty of time for the start of next season.
Aaron Schatz, Solak’s colleague at ESPN, predicted this week that the Dolphins will part ways with Hill heading into the final year of his $90 million contract, which carries a salary cap hit of close to $52 million in 2026.
“The Dolphins will cut Hill. He had already declined last season and will be 32 in 2026,” Schatz wrote. “Cutting Hill with a post-June 1 designation would save the Dolphins $36 million on the cap and is a much easier decision than figuring out what to do with [Tua] Tagovailoa’s huge contract. Cutting the quarterback would actually cost the Dolphins cap space.”
Tyreek Hill’s Production Arrow Pointing Downward Over Past Two Seasons
GettyWide receiver Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins.
That outcome would put Hill back on the market in March. He profiles as the type of free agent on whom Cleveland might take a swing as a one-year play with high upside who could earn a longer-team deal if he shows a return to his pre-injury form.
Hill tallied 959 yards and six TDs in a full season (17 games played) in 2024. He led the NFL in receiving yards (1,799) and receiving TDs (13) the year prior. Hill has earned eight Pro-Bowl nods and five All-Pro selections over the course of his 10-year professional career, splitting those honors between his work as a kick returner and a receiver.
Spotrac projects Aiyuk’s market value at $13.9 million on a new one-year deal. Theoretically, Hill’s value should come in at lesser figure given that he is five years older than Aiyuk and his knee injury is almost a full year more recent than Aiyuk’s ACL/MCL tear, which occurred in October 2024.
Brandon Aiyuk Stronger Play for Browns This Offseason Than Tyreek Hill
GettyWide receiver Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.
That said, the Browns could take a different approach to a contract for either player, offering a two-year agreement with a relatively simple team out built in after the initial season is up.
Such a pact might prove more interesting to Hill, particularly if Cleveland back-weights the second year with a stronger salary figure.
That would allow Hill to cash in during his age-34 campaign in 2027 if he bounces back next season rather than hitting free agency right away and immediately starting the process over — only doing so one year older and with less bargaining power if he’s good in 2026, but falls short of great.
Aiyuk is more likely to want a longterm contract, and also more likely to get one with a big year in 2026 than Hill because of their relative ages.
Thus, it might make more sense for Aiyuk to sign for the strongest guarantee he can get next season, play his tail off and re-enter the market at 29 years old on the hunt for a contract that pays him $30 million-plus annually.
Given the circumstances, Aiyuk is clearly the better play for Cleveland given the offense’s timeline as it heads for a full rebuild to begin this offseason. However, Hill offers a potentially strong stopgap solution if Aiyuk lands elsewhere and the team passes on a chance to draft a receiver with the No. 6 overall pick and instead pursues a rookie franchise quarterback in April.
8-Time Pro Bowler Emerges as Browns’ WR Option if Brandon Aiyuk Lands Elsewhere