For the first time since the 2020 season, the Miami Dolphins will have a starting quarterback in Week 1 that is not Tua Tagovailoa. Since the team drafted Tagovailoa with the fifth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the direction of the Miami Dolphins has revolved around making their investment in him pay off.
Six years later and the Miami Dolphins opted to release him despite the significant cap penalty it carried. Instead, Miami’s new regime led by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley opted to sign former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis as a free agent. Willis was Miami’s lone free agent signee to receive a contract worth over $4 million, as he signed a three-year, $67 million contract despite having only six career NFL starts.
Now, head coach Jeff Hafley, who worked with Willis the previous two seasons in Green Bay, has shared his feelings on Miami’s new starting quarterback.
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Shares Feelings on Quarterback Malik Willis
Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley appeared on Richard Sherman’s podcast, a player Hafley previously coached in San Francisco, where he discussed Miami’s decision to sign Malik Willis in free agency and his experience working with him in Green Bay.
Hafley said, “It’s so important – when you get in a free agent, you know what you’re getting.
He was our scout team QB. I communicated with him more than I communicated with Jordan (Love). He’s competitive, tough, he can throw the ball. He’s accurate; really accurate down the field. And he’s really athletic, strong, can make plays with his feet. I mean when he breaks the pocket and he’s really accurate. And then on top of all that, I love the person.”
Additionally, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan appeared on NFL Network and shared how Miami’s new quarterback is settling into his role. Sullivan said, “He’s doing great. He’s getting to know his teammates, he looks relaxed and comfortable… he’s starting to show that leadership I saw in Green Bay.”
Miami Dolphins Quarterback
Despite the positive words from both the general manager and head coach, Willis brings uncertainty at the most important position due to his lack of experience. However, he also has traits that made him worthy of his contract. Prior to his signing with the Dolphins, NFL Network analyst Gregg Rosenthal ranked him as the top free agent in the NFL, as he wrote:
“I see him as the most dynamic quarterback in football as a runner, and his tape in Green Bay showed incredible growth as a passer over his two years with Matt LaFleur. Despite his limited sample size, Willis jumped to the top spot of this ranking based on the same logic that applies to the NFL draft: If a potential franchise quarterback is good enough to be ranked in the top five of a list like this, then he should be placed first, by virtue of the position. The ceiling is the roof.”
If Willis can reach the potential the Dolphins envision for him, his contract would be a bargain and Miami may have their solution at the most important position. After Hafley and Sullivan’s comments, it certainly appears that the two biggest decision makers within the Dolphins organization are believers in his talent.
Dolphins Head Coach Makes Feelings Clear on Malik Willis