Steelers have hidden advantage over Chiefs to help land Tyreek Hill

After the Pittsburgh Steelers traded for wide receiver DK Metcalf during the offseason, it was believed that the organization finally had a true one-two punch at the position. 

George Pickens would've acted as a great complement, but the team decided to deal him in a rare May move, which saw him end up with the Dallas Cowboys. Calvin Austin III proved in Week 1 against the New York Jets that he is a serviceable option as the franchise's second man up, but that didn't stop a report from coming out that the front office may be eyeing Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins.

Pittsburgh Steelers could face competition from other AFC team for Tyreek Hill

Another team mentioned in the article by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio was Hill's former team, the Kansas City Chiefs. The reigning AFC champions did not look all that great in Week 1 versus the Los Angeles Chargers, and the panic button could be hit rather quickly if Andy Reid's squad ends up starting 0-2 with the Philadelphia Eagles on the schedule for Week 2.

It shouldn't come as a surprise if general manager Brett Veach takes a chance in reaching out to Miami, but there's a lingering issue for Kansas City that could really affect its chances of bringing Hill back to the Chiefs. According to Spotrac, Veach only has roughly $2.62 million to deal with in cap space. That would require Miami to help pick up a large portion of what's leftover in 2025, and that's an unlikely scenario.

Can Pittsburgh Steelers afford to have Tyreek Hill on team?

Flipping over to the Steelers' financial capabilities, general manager Omar Khan is in a much better place than Veach and the Chiefs. Pittsburgh is currently fifth in the league with over $26 million. That is money that could potentially be used to work something out with Miami. It's not like the Steelers and Chiefs are a couple of million away from one another. It appears as if they are miles apart.

There's another very important caveat to the entire situation. Hill, who is under contract through 2026, has a team option essentially once the 2025 campaign comes to an end. If a team can make a trade offer attractive enough and take a lot of the cash off the Dolphins' plate, the wide receiver is not necessarily tied to said organization for the 2026 season.

Are Miami Dolphins looking to trade Tyreek Hill?

The Dolphins aren't in a bad enough spot to consider trading the former All-Pro just yet, but if the season continues to go south down in Miami, things could change quickly. It's also possible that Hill gets fed up with losing and requests, once again, to be sent packing to another franchise. There are a lot of possibilities, but one certain piece to the puzzle is that the Steelers are in a much better financial spot to land Hill compared to the Chiefs.

Cap space can always be worked around, but Miami is likely to be more willing to engage in talks with a team like Pittsburgh, which can make the numbers work rather quickly. If a trade materializes or the Dolphins decide that they are better off without the offensive veteran, then the Steelers have a better opportunity to agree to a deal in a timely fashion. This could be the differentiating factor if both Kansas City and Pittsburgh inquire about the wideout's availability.

Pittsburgh Steelers probably content with offense after Week 1 of 2025 NFL season

Things can always change, but Pittsburgh was able to score 34 points against the Jets on Sunday. That was a promising start to the year, as it was the defense that came off as more concerning. 

Khan and Co. may not be interested in calling about Hill just yet, but it is something to keep an eye on. It is always important to note that the Steelers are one of the few locker rooms that can likely handle his personality, while also having the cap space stashed away to make it work.