The past few NFL seasons have been a tremendous success for the Kansas City Chiefs. Ever since star quarterback Patrick Mahomes became a part of the team, the Chiefs have made numerous AFC and Super Bowl appearances. Along with a strong offensive team with wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ team dynamic has been very effective. However, the Chiefs have chosen to trade Hill to the Miami Dolphins for the 2022-2023 NFL season, a decision that has thrown Chiefs fans into turmoil.
“The Chiefs are trading six-time Pro-Bowl WR Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for five draft picks: a 2022 1st-round pick (No. 29), a 2nd-round pick (No. 50) and a 4th-round pick, as well as 4th and 6th round picks in the 2023 draft,” said NFL Insider Adam Schefter. While this decision is hard to digest for Chiefs fans, it is also important to understand the context.
Hill wanted to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. As a 28-year-old star player responsible for countless game-winning plays, he believes he should be valued much higher. While the Chiefs tried their best to keep his salary within the budget while also affording other players, the ultimate decision was to let him become a free agent and explore other options. The budget has already expanded for this year’s season, and giving most of that money to a single player would hold out on other opportunities for younger talent.
Many believe that the Chiefs actually made a good decision by trading him for younger talent. The Chiefs now have the 1st round pick, 2nd round pick, 4th round pick, and 6th round pick for the next 2023 NFL draft, meaning that they will get first picks on the best players coming out of college. With the NCAA college football season bringing such talented players, the Chiefs will be the team to get first picks on the best players. They got all of these options just by trading one player: the best, fastest, and youngest wide receiver in the entire NFL.
“I know that we made a tremendous effort to try to keep him in Kansas City,” Mahomes said. “Tyreek, he’s such a tremendous player, he got what he deserved. I’m happy for him. And he’s at a place where he has a home and he’s closer to family and stuff. So I’m very happy for him. We had to move forward.” Mahomes was upset initially when the news initially hit. “It more surprised me whenever it got to the point where we were really considering trading him,” Mahomes explained.
After developing such strong chemistry not just with the quarterback but also with KC, Chiefs fans are saddened to see such a talented player leave their team. It will be interesting to see who he is replaced with and what the 2023 draft bodes for KC. The important thing to emphasize, however, is that the Chiefs now have the ability to draft the best talent coming out of college football.
