If there were any doubts about the Miami Dolphins' commitment to building a contender in 2022 and snapping their five-year playoff drought, the franchise certainly put them all to rest by pulling off a blockbuster trade on Wednesday. In yet another move that alters the AFC landscape, the Dolphins acquired star receiver Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs, in exchange for a package of five draft picks that contains 2022 first- and second-rounders.
Miami also sweetened the pot with Hill, making him the league's highest-paid wideout with a new four-year, $120 million extension that includes $72 million guaranteed. With the addition of Hill, the Dolphins are now in a prime position to compete for a playoff berth. But former NFL player and Miami sports radio host Leroy Hoard doesn't believe that this was their biggest offseason move.
"Believe it or not, I believe the best addition was the offensive coach [in new head coach Mike McDaniel]. I think that he's going to come into this situation with a different attitude about what is successful offense," Hoard explained to The Zach Gelb Show on Wednesday. "When you followed him throughout his career, the most important thing is running the football, and they haven't had a running back here...
"I do expect them to contend for a playoff spot. The AFC is just, holy smokes. I've never seen a conference formed like this... Their offense is going to look a lot better... What [the McDaniel hiring] did was, it took those deficiencies of your team and brought somebody in who's innovative and can make work out of what you have... They're all-in, as you should be... It looks like everything is being spent with a purpose..."
The Dolphins formally introduced McDaniel as their next head coach back in early February, following the unexpected dismissal of Brian Flores. McDaniel, who just turned 39, worked under San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan for 11 seasons, and spent 2021 as offensive coordinator. Known for creating a dynamic run game, the 49ers ranked seventh in the league in average rushing yards and sixth in rushing touchdowns.
There's no disputing that Hill, who has dangerous speed and elusiveness, will help open up Miami's stagnant offense. In 2021, the 28-year-old had a career-high 111 receptions for 1,239 yards with nine total touchdowns, and according to ESPN Stats & Info, he racked up 26 scores on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield over the past five seasons. The Dolphins ranked 22nd in the league in average points last year.
The entire Dolphins conversation between Hoard and Gelb can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The Zach Gelb Show on Twitter @ZachGelb and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.