Mike Vrabel’s supposed Sedona cheating scandal with top NFL reporter Dianna Russini has led to speculation about Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown being acquired by the New England Patriots. Why? Because Russini has been covering Brown trade rumors for the longest time now.However, this little WR connection has shifted the focus to a top free agent wideout who has been on the market for an unusually long time: Tyreek Hill. The former Kansas City Chiefs WR has been heavily linked to the Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills. But lately, it’s the Patriots. How? Let’s find out.
NFL Trade Rumors : Mike Vrabel’s Patriots tied to former Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill
Patriots Wire’s Matt Legros suggests that New England needs a volume wideout. So far, Hill has not displayed any signs of being otherwise: playing for the Miami Dolphins last year, the 32-year-old pass catcher went for 21 receptions on 29 targets for 265 receiving yards and one touchdown in just four games. He could have had his seventh 1000-yard season in 2025 had he played in all 17 games. In 2024, he recorded 81 receptions for 959 receiving yards and six touchdowns across 17 games. He did not show any signs of slowing down last season. Like most elite WRs are expected to come out of injuries and return to their best form, the same benefit of the doubt can be given to Hill.
Tyreek Hill injury and recovering timeline
The West Alabama alum suffered a brutal knee injury in Week 4 of 2025 during a game against the New York Jets. At the termination of a play, New York DB Malachi Moore grabbed Hill’s leg.Hill’s other leg probably got stuck in the turf, and it led to his twisted fall on the gridiron. He was unable to get up, and his knee looked brutally twisted. He suffered a dislocated knee and torn multiple ligaments, including the ACL.His 2025 season ended prematurely; and according to his recovery timeline, Hill is likely to return by the start of the 2026 season.DraftSharks reports that the Dolphins WR carries a low overall injury risk for the 2026 season. He has a 41 percent chance of injury, a 3.1 percent chance per game, and is projected to miss 0.80 games in 2026. His durability score (ability to produce despite relatively minor injuries) is 5.00 (most durable). He missed 14 games in 2025, but if given the perfect chance to prove himself, he can bounce back (remember his 10.15 seconds track record for 100mt race at California Track Meet in June 2025?).Legros suggests New England could add Hill in free agency because it has assurances behind him in the wide receiver room: Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, and Mack Hollins.
Miami Dolphins wideout could be like Patriots WR Stefon Diggs
Heavy Sports’ James Dudko suggests that the Miami Dolphins WR could be like Stefon Diggs in New England. The Patriots took a chance on Diggs after he suffered a serious knee injury (torn ACL) in 2024. Come 2025, Diggs took them to a Super Bowl appearance. The same could be expected from Tyreek Hill.Plus, his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, has been a perennial Super Bowl contender; he even won a Lombardi Trophy with them, so he knows what it takes to be there in the Big Game and win it for his franchise.The 32-year-old may be looking for a Super Bowl contender, and there’s no other like the Patriots at the moment. Someone who just competed in Super Bowl LX.According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Hill is projected to sign a two-year, $30M contract, giving him an average annual salary of $15.1M.Keeping these pointers in mind and barring AJ Brown’s strong link to New England, would Mike Vrabel’s franchise sign Hill? Remains to be seen…