Miami Dolphins
Getty
The Dolphins will pursue free agent quarterback Malik Willis
The Miami Dolphins are once again in the quarterback market ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Previous quarterbackTua Tagovailoa is expected to be released with a post-June 1 designation, which will leave Miami with only two quarterbacks on the roster.
Seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers started the final three games of the Dolphins season, once the teamdecided to bench Tagovailoa. “Got some playing time at the end of the year. Thought I put some good stuff on tape,”Ewers said of his rookie season.“I thought I gained a lot of confidence in that first game. It might not show in the stat sheet, but I actually thought I played pretty well.”
The Dolphins have stated that the plan is to have a competition at the position. That means, Miami is likely to either draft a quarterback or sign one in free agency. Now, the team is expected to be in the market for a quarterback, who was previously seen as someone who might have beenout of the team’s price range.
Miami Dolphins Will Pursue Malik Willis
ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler gathered the latest buzz at the NFL combine and wrote what he has been hearing regarding some of the biggest topics around the league. One of which is free agent quarterback Malik Willis. Regarding the Dolphins’ interest in Willis, Fowler said, “Miami is definitely in.”
Willis’ market had previously been reported to be rising toward over $30 million annually; however, Fowler dismissed that idea. He wrote, “Willis’ market has been a prominent topic this week. But a team offering him $30-plus million per year doesn’t appear realistic. Many front offices believe the more accurate comp is Justin Fields’ deal with the Jets last year (two years, $40 million). Could that jump up due to cap inflation and/or multiple suitors? Sure. A range of $20-25 million annually is certainly a good starting point. But Willis hitting the $30 million threshold as a player with six career starts would surprise some of the teams at the combine.”
With Miami facing cap issues this offseason, the idea of paying Willis over $30 million did not seem feasible, but a contract similar to what Fields received from the Jets seems more plausible for the Dolphins. When the reports suggested Willis could receive over $30 million per year,Sports Illustrated’s Alain Poupart wrote, “All those predictions of Willis signing with the Dolphins because it seemed like such a logical fit given the Green Bay connections probably need to be revisited.”
Malik Willis’ Upside
Despite only six career starts, Willis has a large market due to his unique skillset and high upside. Fowler wrote, “Multiple offensive coaches said Willis has the chance to be the league’s best rushing quarterback and that he has the power in his legs and arm to drive the ball to all parts of the field. “The issue will be that you simply can’t run your whole offense with him,” one prominent offensive coach said. “He’s not ready to handle that. So, whether he can sustain a full season will be a question. But he’s got a lot of ability and terrific character.”
Whether the Dolphins head coach and general manager, who worked with Willis in Green Bay, saw enough that convinced them Willis could be the long-term answer at the position for Miami remains to be seen.