Why the Dolphins’ ‘conversation’ with Malik Willis prior to Waddle trade matters
The Miami Dolphins believe in Malik Willis.
General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hadley liked what they saw of the quarterback during their respective time with the Green Bay Packers. Sullivan subsequently rewarded Willis with a three-year, $67.5 million contract. And, apparently, the Dolphins’ front office let him know about the biggest trade of the offseason.
Willis was briefed prior to the Dolphins’ trade of star receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, per the NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
“He was given a heads up,” Wolfe said of Willis, explaining that “a conversation” was had between the quarterback, Hafley and Sullivan. “He’s still all-in on the plan like they were when they signed him in free agency.”
Added Wolfe: “Malik Willis was signed because they view him as a potential long-term answer there, not just a Band-Aid addition.”
Despite Dolphins fans dwelling in the doldrums following the Waddle trade, which netted Miami a first-round pick, a third-round pick as well as fourth-round pick swap, this has to be viewed as good news. As Wolfe said, the Dolphins front office views Willis as the quarterback of the future and they have begun to treat him as such.
“There’s a lot of great reasons to be here,” Willis said at his opening news conference before praising Hafley and Sullivan. “Those two guys are the biggest ones, in my opinion, as far as what I see this organization and this team becoming. I can’t see the future but all I know is they’re going to put in the work each and every day just as well as I will try to do the same. Whatever role, whatever leadership, whatever it is, they brought me in as a piece of the puzzle that they want to put here, and I’m grateful and honored to be a part of that.”
To truly understand the significance of Willis being kept in the know, it’s important to realize that not everyone had that privilege. Just ask fellow receiver Jalen Tolbert.
“I could definitely say I was surprised,” Tolbert said. “We’re all competitors and honestly, like I said, I’ve been in this league for four years now, I do know that it’s always the next-man-up mentality. And like I said, that’s no knock on anybody or Jaylen at all. It’s just another opportunity for myself and the other guys in the room to get more opportunities, get more touches or whatever it may be, earn more playing time.”
And while Waddle certainly would have given Willis an experienced wideout from the onset, the Dolphins certainly believe they can find something — or someone, for that better — in the upcoming NFL Draft. Some of the top names include Ohio State’e Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Southern California’s Makai Lemon, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. and Washington’s Denzel Boston.
Without Waddle, the receiver room also includes Malik Washington, Tutu Atwell, Tahj Washington, Terrance Marshall Jr., Theo Wease Jr. and AJ Henning. None of these wideouts has posted a 1,000-yard season. Still, it will be incumbent on Willis to try and elevate this roster despite its obvious shortcomings.
“All you can do is win today,” Willis said of how he plans to lead by example. “When you try to win today, and that’s talking to you guys and doing all this other stuff that I’ve got to do, then you try to win tomorrow and get better and get back to training. You do that each day, and then I want them to say, ‘That guy was consistent. That guy worked hard, and that guy gave it all he had.’”
Although it’s difficult to not look at 2026 as a rebuild year, especially following the Waddle trade and release of key players such as receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Bradley Chubb, the Dolphins do seemingly have their quarterback of the future. That is a step further than many other teams that would also fall in the “rebuild category.” If Miami drafts correctly, something that was a dark stain of the last regime’s tenure, and hits on late free agent additions such as Rasul Douglas in 2025, the Dolphins might be better than previously thought.
