In the 2026 regular season opener, the Miami Dolphins will have a new starting quarterback for the first time since 2021.
Prior to the 2021 season, the Miami Dolphins handed the keys to former first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa, who would then be Miami’s primary starter until being released by the team this offseason following his benching in 2025.
Now, the keys will be handed to free agent acquisition Malik Willis, who signed a three-year, $67 million contract with the team. Willis, who has only started six NFL games in his four-year career, has now landed a bold prediction, which should encourage Dolphins fans and provide some hope for their new quarterback.
Malik Willis Lands Bold Prediction
Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr revealed 100 bold predictions before the NFL season. One of them related to Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis as Orr wrote, “Malik Willis will finish with a higher EPA per play than Bo Nix.”
Orr added: “The stat, which essentially measures quarterback efficiency on a down-to-down basis, will favor the type of athletic small ball the Dolphins will try to play with their bridge quarterback in 2026, while the big-game hunting Nix will be taking more shots at new target (and former Dolphin) Jaylen Waddle.”
Regarding the prediction, Dolphins Wire’s Mike Masala added:
“Over the last two seasons, Willis generated a +0.38 EPA per dropback with the Packers, which is the most in the NFL for any quarterback with at least 100 dropbacks. Nix had a +.09 EPA per dropback in 2025, but with Waddle in the fold, he should be more efficient this year.”
Malik Willis outplaying a quarterback that led his team to the AFC Championship last season would certainly be a positive outcome for the Dolphins.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Room
However, as things stand, Willis is currently facing competition from within, as some media members have noted that second-year Quinn Ewers, who started three games for the Dolphins last season, has outplayed Willis in certain practices.
Regarding the Dolphins quarterback situation, Dolphins on SI’s Alain Poupart wrote:
“Being that Quinn Ewers is familiar with the offense after his rookie season with the Dolphins, maybe it figured all along that he would be ahead of the game in the spring and he probably would get the nod as the most consistent quarterback over the three days of minicamp. But this is where we point out the difference wasn’t significant and there should be zero question that Malik Willis will be the starting quarterback for the Dolphins in 2026. Zero. None. And for all the good work that Ewers did, there’s a clear difference in athletic ability, most notably zip, arm strength and mobility when it comes to the two quarterbacks.”
Meanwhile, Miami Herald writer Omar Kelly said the team would likely benefit from doing an actual quarterback competition as he wrote:
“There are some days he has outperformed Willis in the sessions the media has watched … So far Ewers looks like a quarterback who is taking the next step, and a contributing factor to that is that there’s carryover between the offense he learned last season under Mike McDaniel and the one Slowik is installing since they come from the same west coast offensive tree.”
Dolphins’ Malik Willis Gets Eye Opening Prediction