Malik Willis will be a big free agency domino to fall that could have a ripple effect on three teams, the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins, according to a new rumor.
SNY's Connor Hughes reports that both the Dolphins and Cardinals want to sign Willis, and the Jets are interested in Geno Smith.
However, Smith's preferred destination is the Dolphins and he is considered among the Dolphins' contingency plans at quarterback if they can't sign Willis.
So, if Willis lands in Arizona and Smith goes to Miami, the Jets will have to look elsewhere for help at quarterback.
"One thing to watch on the Jets Geno Smith pursuit: Malik Willis. The Dolphins want Willis," Hughes wrote. "If the Cardinals can steal him, MIA has Geno Smith among their list of contingency plans. Sources indicate Smith’s preferred destination is Miami, where he’s from. Could muddy waters."
The bad news for both the Jets and Dolphins here is that several reports have said the Cardinals are the most likely team to sign Willis in free agency.
Smith landing in Miami makes sense, as the Dolphins need a veteran to compete with Quinn Ewers to bridge the gap to 2027. Not only would Smith offer that competition, he'd likely win it over the 2025 seventh-round pick.
This perfectly underscores the difficulty the Jets are going to have when it comes to adding any of the bigger names at quarterback in free agency.
As things stand now, it doesn't appear the Jets are highly thought of by free agents and it's hard to blame them if that's the case, as New York was an abject disaster last season and is in store for a long rebuild.
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