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Jason La Canfora revealed the Dolphins will have interest in Malik Willis
After five seasons as the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa’s time with the team is expected to come to an end. Ultimately, he failed to fulfill the promise and hope that came alongside the “tank for Tua” campaign. The Dolphins have failed to win a playoff game since drafting Tagovailoa in 2020, and now the time has come for both sides to move on.
It is hard to label Tagovailoa as a bust, as the team did have moderate success with him. They made the postseason twice, and had four consecutive seasons with winning records. Injuries and declining play led to his benching in 2025, but at his best, he was the best Dolphins quarterback the team has had since Dan Marino, though that is not a particularly high bar. Now, entering the 2026 season, the Miami Dolphins find themselves once again in a position to seek a starting quarterback to turn the franchise around.
The team has been linked to a top free agent since the season ended, and a new report only adds to the speculation.
General Manager Reveals Miami Dolphins Interest in Malik Willis
NFL insider Jason La Canfora revealed that he spoke with a general manager, whose team is also in the quarterback market, and the general manager revealed that he has been hearing the Dolphins will be interested. He also said that the Browns would potentially be interested as well.
Regarding Miami’s interest in Willis, La Canfora wrote, “Willis made a strong impression on Miami head coach Jeff Hafley, the Packers’ former defensive coordinator, according to team sources, and the combination of explosive runs and explosive passes that Willis provided in relief of Jordan Love did not go unnoticed.”
La Canfora also added that Willis is expected to receive a big payday as teams were impressed by his performances these past two seasons. Miami does not have much cap space, as they’re currently projected to have the fourth-least cap space in the NFL, but that could easily change once they shed some of the bigger salaries on the roster.
In terms of Willis’ potential contract, the general manager La Canfora spoke with said, “It’s going to be close to the Fields deal. You’re looking at two years, $40M; $30M guaranteed. I think he’s better than Fields, by the way. I think he’ll be a better starter.”
Competition for Willis
Something that might work for the Dolphins when it comes to their Willis pursuit is that Browns’ new head coach Todd Monken appears high on Shedeur Sanders. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said, “The Browns were my sleeper for Willis, but the hiring of Todd Monken might change that equation. He seems open to working with the quarterbacks on the roster, including Shedeur Sanders.” While Willis might be open to competing for the starting job, he might also prefer a destination like Miami, which does not have a clear starting quarterback in place.
Fowler did mention the Arizona Cardinals as potential competition as well, saying, “New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur can get intimate knowledge of Willis’ game from LaFleur’s brother, Matt.” Regarding Arizona’s potential interest in Willis, La Canfora wrote, “Arizona will be looking at new quarterbacks also, but Jacoby Brissett thrived there as a starter and moving Kyler Murray’s huge contract will not be easy; getting that sorted out without Willis already signing somewhere else will be tricky.”
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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