I wouldn’t do it.
If I was Miami Dolphins new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan or new coach Jeff Hafley, I wouldn’t sign Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to a multi-year free agent contract to be Miami’s starter.
We’ll find out in a matter of weeks what Sullivan, the former Green Bay vice president of player personnel, and Hafley, the former Packers defensive coordinator, think of the athletic, 26-year-old Willis, who is eligible to become a free agent.
Free agency starts March 11.
It’s easy to connect the Green Bay Packers dots: Sullivan comes to Miami, Hafley follows him — and then Willis will follow both of them.
Willis, who Green Bay will likely try to keep, would be a two- or three-year commitment at maybe $15-$20 million a year, possibly more. The Dolphins, who are financially strapped at an estimated $27 million over the projected 2026 salary cap, would have to get rid of players to shoehorn Willis onto the roster.
Willis, the 2022 third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans out of Liberty, has had a modest career so far. In four seasons — two with the Titans and two with the Packers — he has six touchdowns, three interceptions and a 98.9 passer rating in 22 games, with six starts, three for each team.
Last season he was 30 of 35 for 422 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 145.5 passer rating. It’s a very small sample size after four seasons.
For me, that says, “No, thank you.”
The Dolphins need a starting quarterback for 2026, but he doesn’t necessarily have to be their franchise guy.
The Dolphins return quarterback Quinn Ewers, the 2025 rookie seventh-round pick, and newly-signed Cam Miller, the 2025 undrafted rookie from North Dakota State. Former starter Tua Tagovailoa likely won’t return, which also seems likely for veteran backup Zach Wilson.
My wish is that the Dolphins take their time finding a quarterback.
Of course, I’m not telling Sullivan or Hafley what to do.
I’ve merely got a humble suggestion regarding Willis and how the Dolphins should approach the offseason.
If Sullivan and Hafley like Willis, fine. Sign him. After all, they know him.
My main thing is for Sullivan and Hafley to have conviction.
Sullivan showed conviction with Hafley.
Sean McDermott became available after he was fired as Buffalo Bills’ coach on Monday, and Sullivan never flinched. Hafley remained his guy.
Hopefully it’s the same with Willis, whatever decision is made.
The thing for the Dolphins to remember is they shouldn’t just get a quarterback because he’s familiar, and you think it’ll make your 2026 season easier.
Hitching your wagon to Willis, so to speak, could be along the lines of Tua to that contract extension in 2024 from the standpoint you’re bound to that player, in sickness and in health.
Yes, reclamation projects of all sorts are going on in the NFL nowadays with varying levels of success.
But most of those recent guys — Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Darnold, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield, Seattle’s Geno Smith (when he was still with the Seahawks), Miami’s Tagovailoa, Indianapolis Colts’ Daniel Jones, etc — were starters earlier in their careers.
Willis has never been a starter.
The free agents expected to hit the market form a limited class. Trey Lance, the 25-year-old backup from the Los Angeles Chargers, could be a reclamation project.
Other than that, it’s a collection of older guys such as the Washington Commanders’ Marcus Mariota (32 years old) and Indianapolis’ Jones (29/coming off an Achilles injury).
The draft doesn’t offer many good solutions for rookie starters, especially in the first round now that Oregon’s Dante Moore is returning to school and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has cemented his status as the No. 1 pick.
The Dolphins, who pick No. 11 in the first round, have a first-round pick. A seconder and three third-round picks at the top of the draft.
If there’s no obvious choice at starting quarterback the Dolphins should show some patience, try to develop a starter this season (Ewers?) and then acquire someone next year.
The key is not to force things with Willis or anyone else.