Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis didn’t impress on Monday at training camp, but he turned it around on Tuesday with better throws.
First-year Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley indicated that Willis is trending in the right direction overall as he gets ready for his first full season as an NFL starter. The Dolphins acquired the veteran backup quarterback this offseason to replace Tua Tagovailoa, who joined the Atlanta Falcons.
“Just more consistent, the confidence and he’s just getting more comfortable. The ball’s coming out quicker,” Hafley told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s throwing more on his first hitch than being late on his throws. He’s starting to have a better relationship with the guys.”
“We’re only through a handful of practices, but he’s already grabbing guys on the side talking to him,” Hafley added. “If a guy drops the ball, he’s encouraging him. You can see him and Malik (Washington) are on the sideline talking about routes, how to do this, how to do that, what the defense is playing.”
“I just think he’s getting more comfortable. Still really early. And we all have a long way to go,” Hafley concluded.
It will be a learning process for Willis, who has six career starts in four seasons between the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers. Willis served as Jordan Love’s backup for the past two seasons in Green Bay, and the Dolphins are looking for Willis to build on his experience with Love and the Packers this season.
Jeff Hafley Assesses Malik Willis’ Interceptions
Willis has thrown interceptions in practices, which is a cause for concern on how we will perform going forward.
However, Hafley has been clear about how he is assesses Willis’ picks. Ultimately, it comes down to how the picks happened and who was really most responsible for them. Willis has three career interceptions amid 155 career passes.
“I think you got to look at everyone individually,” Hafley said. “Did he throw a ball down the middle of the field where there was a middle safety and just make a bad decision? Well, you know, that’s on him. Did he throw a ball on time and it hit the receiver’s hands and it bounced up and counts as an interception, and five weeks from now, you’re not going to remember it, you’re just going to count it as an interception.”
Jeff Hafley Impressed With Malik Washington
Washington will be one of Willis’ go-to guys in the offense, and that’s a significant ask of Washington.
The third-year wideout had 46 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns last year, and he had 26 receptions for 223 yards the year before. Miami will want to see the production increase significantly, and Hafley sees progress toward that.
“Just his overall route running,” Hafley said about how Washington has impressed him thus far. “I think a lot of people might think of him as a bubble guy, a catch and run guy, a quick screen guy, a get him the ball on a hitch and let him run.”
“Just him at the top of the routes and I think him really trying to master the route tree and the techniques that are being asked to do, and just his overall consistency of how he approaches every day,” Hafley added.
Dolphins HC Jeff Hafley Addresses QB Malik Willis’ Camp Performance