New Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill wants to return punts for Miami once the regular season rolls around in the fall. HAL HABIB / The Palm Beach Post / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tyreek Hill wants to return punts for Dolphins

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 3/30/22

On March 23, wide receiver Tyreek Hill was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Miami Dolphins for five draft picks, including 2022 first-, second- and fourth-round picks.

Big-name wide receivers have been a hot topic of conversation this offseason. First, with perennial Pro Bowler Devante Adams being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, followed by Hill's deal to Miami.

Once he arrived in Miami, Hill received a new four-year contract for $120 million. Along with a contract that made him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, Hill asked for something else: to return punts for Miami once the regular season rolls around in the fall.

Tyreek Hill has told the Dolphins he's eager to get back to returning punts. But the NFL's chief medical officer points out that punt returners face a 'high' injury risk. Should Miami's $120 million man be used on special teams? https://t.co/l7hSc8cSWd
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) March 29, 2022

According to Hal Habib of The Palm Beach Post, Dolphins GM Chris Grier says Hill has expressed an interest in returning punts.

"Tyreek, the first thing he said was I want to make sure I'm back there, getting a couple of returns every game," Grier said. "We're fortunate with him, (Jevon) Holland, (Jaylen) Waddle — we have guys that can do it. They're all big contributors on their side of the ball as well. And we also have a couple of other guys that can return. So we're not really worried about the return game."

When discussing Hill and the return game, his slim frame — listed at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds — runs the risk of injury, a gamble the Dolphins may be unwilling to take. There's also Hill's contract to consider and his importance to the team's offense.

Nevertheless, it's an intriguing offer as Hill has proven valuable in the return game in the past. In his first three seasons with the Chiefs, Hill returned 84 punts for 1,009 yards, 12.0 yards per return and four touchdowns.

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