With Austin Hooper’s departure very much sealed before the start of free agency, the New England Patriots dove into the open market with a clear need at tight end position. They emerged with a former Dolphin caught via a three-year, $15 million contract: Julian Hill was brought in to serve as the Patriots’ TE2 behind Hunter Henry.
For Hill, that role will not be entirely unfamiliar; in terms of snaps played he actually was Miami’s TE1 last season. However, the Patriots have challenged him to take
a step forward: not only is his deal effectively structured in a year-by-year fashion, he also can earn up to $3 million in extra incentives by besting his previous production.
Those incentives, according to a report by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, are structured as follows:
TE Julian Hill: Contract incentives
Maximum incentives: $3,000,000
2026: Up to $1,000,000
$250,000: 50% offensive snaps
$250,000: 65% offensive snaps
$250,000: 20 receptions
$250,000: 30 receptions
2027: Up to $1,000,000
$250,000: 50% offensive snaps
$250,000: 65% offensive snaps
$250,000: 20 receptions
$250,000: 30 receptions
2028: Up to $1,000,000
$250,000: 50% offensive snaps
$250,000: 65% offensive snaps
$250,000: 20 receptions
$250,000: 30 receptions
Hill entered the NFL as a rookie free agent in 2023, and in his three seasons since has not once reached the thresholds necessary to unlock his incentives as a Patriot. In 2025, his best season to date, he was on the field for 44.9% of offensive snaps while catching 15 passes on 20 targets (for 140 yards).
As a consequence of that production, the entire incentive package for 2026 is classified as not likely to be earned (NLTBE) and therefore not counted against New England’s salary cap. Should he meet his incentives, the appropriate sum of up to $1 million will be subtracted from the team’s adjusted cap in 2027.
It goes without saying that hitting the numbers outlined above would go a long way toward Hill being back with the Patriots next season.
