Why Dolphins Fans Should Expect Malik Willis in Miami

Why Dolphins Fans Should Expect Malik Willis in Miami

The Tua Tagovailoa era is over in Miami, and the Dolphins need a new starting quarterback.

This year’s 2026 NFL draft is thin at the quarterback position, and not where the Dolphins will find one.

So, Jon-Eric Sullivan will have to look to free agency, and lo and behold, a former Green Bay Packer whom Sullivan knows very well is the best quarterback who will be on the open market.

His name is Malik Willis.

Willis is in line to get the biggest contract of his career, yet I think many fans, Dolphins fans in particular, believe he is going to break the bank.

More than likley Willis will get a deal similar to what Justin Fields got from the NY Jets last season.

Two years, $40 million, with $30 million guaranteed.

Which is a deal the Miami Dolphins can manage to pay, even with their less-than-desirable salary cap situation.

Because the quarterback position is the most important position on the team, and you need to have something in place that you can rely on.

Will is 6’1″ tall and 225 lbs.

He is a former 3rd round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2022.

In 2024, the Green Bay Packers traded a 7th-round pick to acquire Willis, and there are multiple reports that Jon-Eric Sullivan pushed the Packers to make that trade.

The reason Green Bay was able to get Willis for only a 7th-round pick is that his time with the Titans was forgettable.

He played in 11 games, started three, and the team was 1-2 in those starts.

And the stat line was ugly to say the least.

Zero touchdowns and three interceptions.

When Willis got to Green Bay, though, he flipped the script.

He played 11 games, the same number he played with the Titans.

He started the same number of games, 3.

The team was 2-1 in games he started, and he threw three touchdowns and had zero interceptions.

Not to mention, in 2024 and 2025, he ran for over 100 rushing yards in each season.

And a stat that is eye-opening, with the Packers in 2024, the completion % for Willis was 74.1%, and in 2025 it was a whopping 85.7%.

Many people see Willis as a fast-rising stock with significant untapped potential.

Now, Willis’ landing in Miami is no sure thing as there are about half a dozen teams that are in need of a starting quarterback.

The NY Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns.

The Dolphins have an ace up their sleeve, though.

Well, they have two.

One, Jon-Eric Sullivan, whom I have already mentioned, was the key figure in bringing Willis to Green Bay.

The other is new Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley.

Even though Hafley coached defense in Green Bay, he said he has a great relationship with Willis because, for many games, Willis was the scout team quarterback and Hafley would prep him each week to help his defense prepare for that week’s games.

Hafley has said nothing but glowing things about Willis, calling him easy to coach and work with.

So, if all things are equal and the money is pretty much even, you would have to think the Dolphins would hold the edge over any team that is competing to acquire Malik Willis.

I understand there is a segment of Dolphins fans who don’t want to spend money on a quarterback this offseason.

They just want to play Quinn Ewers, and if Miami goes 2-15, who cares? Get a high draft pick in the 2027 draft, which is loaded with quarterbacks.

While fans may have that mindset, our new general manager and head coach will not share that logic.

These two have waited their entire lives to get the jobs they just acquired a week or so back.

They are not going to punt or “tank” year one.

The last two great Packers quarterbacks were Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, both were picked in the 20’s of the NFL draft, and Jon-Eric Sullivan was there for both of those picks and saw it up close.

These guys are not concerned with where Miami picks in round 1 because it’s about who you pick, not where you pick.

This year, Coach Hafley will implement his system and schemes, fix the locker room culture, and yes, try to win games!

And Malik Willis will help him win games.

Because in the NFL, you can rebuild without tanking.

Some Dolphins fans have been brainwashed into Chris Grier’s way of doing business, in that you are either competing for a Super Bowl, so trade away all of your draft picks and buy stars, or not try, give up, and lose on purpose.

That is flawed logic.

It’s a losing mentality.

Normal teams don’t tank.

Normal teams can rebuild without tanking.

Normal teams don’t care if they are picking 1st, 8th, or 18th in round one.

Normal teams try to win games.

Look, don’t misinterpret what I am saying here.

Malik Willis is NOT a savior for the Dolphins.

Willis will compete with Quinn Ewers for the starting quarterback position this summer.

Willis isn’t leading Miami to a Super Bowl.

But the Dolphins need to do something at quarterback, and the new GM and head coach won’t just gift the job to Quinn Ewers, a guy they didn’t draft and who is a 7th-round pick entering year two.

Now, if, by some chance, Miami can’t land Willis and another team blows him away with a huge financial offer, then yes, the Dolphins will move to Plan B.

Maybe they select Ty Simpson in Rd 1 of the draft and try to get him ready.

Maybe they sign a Trey Lance, Mitchell Trubisky, or Kenny Pickett and have them compete with Ewers for the starting quarterback role next season.

Gotta play the hand you’re dealt.

But because the upcoming free-agent market for quarterbacks and this year’s draft are so void of quarterback talent, it’s all the more reason I think the Dolphins brass will push really hard to land Willis as that stopgap/bridge quarterback for the next season or two.

I can’t say with certainty that Miami will sign Willis, but that pipeline of assistant coaches joining the Dolphins coming from Green Bay won’t be stopping any time soon.

And it just won’t be coaches either. I think when free agency starts, a few Packers players will find a new home in South Florida playing for the Dolphins, and I believe Malik Willis will be one of them.