As the Denver Broncos prepare to hit some of their biggest needs in NFL free agency, it's worth keeping an eye on the other teams in the AFC West and what they're doing to reload to catch the Broncos in 2026.
The Kansas City Chiefs just took their first and biggest step of the 2026 offseason so far, restructuring Patrick Mahomes's contract and freeing up $43.56 million on the cap. And believe it or not, they're still in the red. But teams can manipulate the salary cap in a lot of different ways, and the Chiefs will soon not only be cap compliant, but they'll get themselves under the cap far enough to make some moves.
And one of the expected moves for the Chiefs from a lot of folks out there right now is to sign recently released wide receiver Tyreek Hill, although at this point, that's only an idea and speculation. A reunion between Hill and the Chiefs might seem like bad news for the rest of the AFC West on paper, but the reality is, it's a mistake everyone should be hoping the Chiefs make.
Broncos fans should be hoping Chiefs make massive mistake of reuniting with Tyreek Hill
The primary reason why reuniting with Tyreek Hill would be a mistake for the Chiefs, and why many folks in Broncos Country should want it to happen, is that he would likely represent their most significant addition at a true position of need, and he's way past his prime.
This is a move typically reserved for teams like the Titans or Ravens, but the Chiefs bringing back Hill does make the most sense. He was a great fit in their offense, Eric Bieniemy is back as the team's offensive coordinator, and Patrick Mahomes has never had more on-field trust for a receiver than he did with Hill. The two had serious chemistry.
But that was basically a lifetime ago in NFL terms. Hill is set to turn 32 years old on March 1, and is coming off of a devastating -- not just bad, but devastating -- injury last season.
The fact that Hill has been released by the Dolphins is the only thing anyone is really focusing on. Nobody is talking about the fact that he was released with a failed physical designation.
Hill didn't just tear his ACL in the injury he suffered last September. It was a dislocated knee that resulted in a torn ACL as well as other structural damage to the knee.
For a player whose game is predicated on speed, change of direction, and explosiveness, this injury is a career-threatening one. Even an athlete as spectacular as Tyreek Hill can't dodge the reality of such severe structural damage to the knee.
And on top of the injury last season, on top of Hill turning 32 in the next couple of weeks, there is the significant issue of off-field character with Hill. Signing him is such an intangible risk, so if the Chiefs want to run it back with their 2022 squad, then they had better realize what they're actually signing up for.