Malik Willis throws for 43 yards, scrambles twice

Kelly published an offseason awards list today, and Willis’ review was not great. Kelly believes the coaching staff " needs to find a way to improve his processing speed.” He also thinks Willis “needs to spend the next month developing better chemistry with his weaponry.” The latter issue has been mentioned before by coach Jeff Hafley and OC Bobby Slowik. To be fair to Willis, Kelly notes that Willis never once attempted a scramble in practice open to media members because he is trying to refine his pocket passing. Unfortunately, Kelly believes Willis failed to put distance between himself and backup QB Quinn Ewers, whom Slowik complimented publicly earlier this month. Willis will score plenty of fantasy points with his legs this season, but he will need to produce at least somewhat reliably as a passer as well.

“I think he’s looked as good as he’s looked since I met him,” Hafley told reporters Tuesday morning. This comes one week after Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said learning the team’s offense and getting comfortable with the team’s pass catchers has been an “ongoing process” for Willis, who last season led the NFL in EPA per drop back on a small sample size (58 plays) in Green Bay. He was 22 percent over his expected pass rate with the Packers in 2025, leading all quarterbacks. While the updates on Willis are not exactly wildly optimistic, it’s good for the Miami offense that he’s making progress as he prepares to start for a team with as little offensive talent as any in the NFL.

At the beginning of the Dolphins’ mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley described the passing offense as “a work in progress.” It doesn’t sound like Willis made many leaps in his development over the last three days. Slowik added that “it’s probably going to be an ongoing process up until the regular season starts, that’s how it always is.” Apparently, Dolphins coaches made more substitutions than they typically do during team drills, which can “throw chemistry off,” and Slowik at least complimented Willis’ improved confidence. Willis is a rushing quarterback with decent upside. If he can produce even moderately as a passer, he has a chance to be in the QB1 tier. Hopefully, we get some resoundingly positive news in the coming weeks.

Malik Willis, Hafley said during a Tuesday presser, is still building chemistry with the team’s pass catchers in OTAs and working on timing. That presumably includes Malik Washington, who had 46 catches for 317 yards and three scores last season, and Greg Dulcich, who’s expected by Miami beat writers to “figure heavily” into the team’s passing attack in 2026. Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell could also see heavy snaps in the Miami passing game this season. Tolbert, who flashed in Dallas in 2024 with 610 yards and seven touchdowns, could emerge as the Dolphins’ top pass-catching option with a solid training camp. There likely won’t be much target volume to go around, however, considering the team’s plans to operate a run-heavy offense.

Sullivan said signing Willis, formerly of the Packers, to a three-year contract “was very important to us” so the team could methodically build a contending roster through the draft. “I’m very comfortable with Malik and his ability to play with what’s around him,” Sullivan told ESPN’s Kevin Clark. The implication is that Willis will not be judged too harshly if he struggles in 2026 on a rebuilding Miami team that recently parted ways with star wideouts Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. NFL Network reported in late March that the Dolphins plan to add a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that would question just how patient the team will be with Willis.

It sounds like Wolfe believes the Dolphins will draft a developmental quarterback prospect to potentially compete with Willis after the 2026 season. The Dolphins are said to be all in on Willis this season and view him as a potential long-term starter. Perhaps tellingly, Wolfe refers to this year as “the rebuild.” Rolling the dice on a dual-threat quarterback while developing an intriguing prospect makes sense. If Willis pans out, great. If not, the Dolphins will already have another option in the works.

Willis’ Miami arrival comes the same day the ‘Fins ate an historic amount of dead money by cutting Tua Tagovailoa loose. Despite the salary cap complications, the ‘Fins always seemed like the most likely landing spot as they attempted to build “Packers South” (again), though that does not include at offensive coordinator, where former Texans assistant Bobby Slowik will be calling plays. The attack will nevertheless undoubtedly be modeled after the keepaway approach the Pack employed any time Willis was forced to spell Jordan Love. It could work, but seems more likely to fail. It’s at least an outside-the-box swing. Willis’ high-end rushing ability will make him an intriguing QB1 flier in fantasy leagues. If he stays healthy, it’s difficult to believe he will be outside the top 12 at quarterback, though his NFL track record is scant enough that we can’t discount the possibility a 2025 Justin Fields outcome.

Hughes also notes that the Dolphins want Malik Willis, but that Smith could be in the team’s contingency plans if the Cardinals were to lure Willis to the desert. Smith, 35, was released by the Raiders over the weekend after a down season. Smith’s struggles extend well beyond his own individual performance, as playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league didn’t do him many favors. Wherever he lands next, he’ll be a cheap option, and makes sense for a Dolphins team that will be paying $54 million in guaranteed money to Tua Tagovailoa this upcoming season.

Per Jackson, the Dolphins are interested in adding a veteran quarterback who will “be a good sport about being No. 2" behind Quinn Ewers if that’s how it plays out. He also lays out that they are interested in Malik Willis at “a certain unknown price point.” It sounds like the Dolphins are going to have a brutal year of taking their medicine on the Tua Tagovailoa contract. An Ewers/Garoppolo quarterback competition would be a tough scene.

Howe pointed to the Jets’ $89 million in cap space, $50 million more than anyone who would be in the free-agent quarterback market this spring. Willis has been linked to the Dolphins after Miami brought in their head coach and GM from Green Bay, where Willis excelled in limited opportunities over the past two seasons. “Willis’ market has been projected at two years and $40 million to $50 million annually, though the guaranteed money is the more important factor,” Howe said. Willis will be pursued by a range of QB-needy teams, including the Dolphins and Cardinals. The Jets would seem like an odd landing spot as they begin yet another rebuild. “Willis still needs to go through growing pains, and those will be exponentially more taxing if there’s chaos around him,” Howe said. Willis in 2025 led all quarterbacks in EPA per drop back.