Nov 17, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill (89) runs with the football against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones (18) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Who Is Julian Hill: Next Man Up After Dolphins Trade Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey?

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Bjorn Anderson | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 7:06 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins set off headlines on Monday morning, acquiring a blockbuster move by shipping tight end Jonnu Smith and cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade that landed All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a swap of draft picks. As a lot of the attention was shifted to Ramsey and Fitzpatrick, the loss of Smith silently created an opportunity for a player who did not even officially receive a chance to show his worth: tight end Julian Hill.

Sneaky waiver add. Go get Julian Hill for cheap. He’s the “starter” for now.

pic.twitter.com/MEXGpgbyth

— TheFantasyFormula (@AFantasyFormula) June 30, 2025

Julian Hill Has The Talent

Undrafted and out of Campbell, Hill now becomes the sort of the favorite to replace Smith as the team currently has no other viable option than the undrafted free agent in 2023. Considering the current tight end locker room of the Dolphins, comprising of Pharaoh Brown, Tanner Conner, the rookie Jalin Conyers, and Hayden Rucci: the chances are present that Hill could finally show that he is more than just a physical specimen with good energy in the locker room.

Although Hill did not produce much in the 2024 season, he has managed to excel in training during the offseason and minicamps. However, his Sundays performance has not been as good as what has been promised so far. Julian Hill attracted seven penalties during his 2022 campaign, and he will aim at rectifying this statistic should he desire to play a larger role in the offense under the direction of new head coach Mike McDaniel.

However, there is a cause for hope. Miami has beefed up its offensive line this offseason, signing guard James Daniels and a second-round draft pick, Jonah Savaiinaea, which should increase running capacity and consequently, give the offense a more even game. That would imply reduced use of tight ends as safety measures in case of emergency and a larger chance of using designed plays.

McDaniel has already demonstrated he knows how to plot tight ends into important positions when he has the talent. And as Miami continues to seek out other weapons on the trade market (things like Kyle Pitts and Michael Mayer have come up), Julian Hill now has a golden chance to leave his mark.

If Julian Hill wants to stick on the 53-man roster and shake the “potential” label, the time is now. The Dolphins may be browsing the market, but the answer at tight end might already be in their building.

Dec 8, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill (89) runs with the football against New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols (26) and linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images