Dolphins to Sign Packers Backup QB Malik Willis Following Tua Tagovailoa Release

Could Willis be the new QB1 in Miami?

Malik Willis landed with the Dolphins in free agency. | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

Miami has found a new quarterback.

The Dolphins are signing Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $45 million guaranteed.

SI’s Albert Breer has details on the deal:

New Dolphins QB Malik Willis' 3-year, $67.5 million deal.

• $22.25 million signing bonus.
• $1.25 million base for 2026 (fully guaranteed).
• $21.5 million base for 2027 (fully guaranteed).
• $2 million roster bonus, due March 2028.
• $20.5 million base for 2028.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 9, 2026

This move comes hours after Miami elected to release Tua Tagovailoa following six seasons. Tagovailoa’s time with the Dolphins was expected to end, so that didn’t come as a surprise. The question that remains for Miami is who will replace him as the QB1?

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Quinn Ewers and Zach Wilson remain on the Dolphins’ depth chart, and there is expected to be a quarterback competition for the starting role as Miami heads into this new era.

Dolphins made big changes this offseason

Tagovailoa’s release was definitely the Dolphins’ biggest headline so far this offseason, apart from the team firing coach Mike McDaniel in January. Willis will be joining a revamped Dolphins team as first-year Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley were hired recently. Hafley then promoted passing-game coordinator Bobby Slowik to become the new offensive coordinator in Miami.

On top of releasing Tagovailoa, the Dolphins also released star receiver Tyreek Hill, who is recovering from a dislocated knee and torn ACL he suffered last season. Miami also released star pass rusher Bradley Chubb to make him a free agent this offseason. These two moves opened up a lot of cap space for the Dolphins—$22.8 million for Hill and $7.3 million for Chubb. However, the team will carry an NFL-record $99.2 million in dead cap and split the dead money over two years with Tagovailoa’s release.

The Dolphins are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2023 season, this time with a whole new squad from coaches to players. Miami finished 7–10 last season, and the quarterback uncertainty played a big role in that result. McDaniel benched Tagovailoa at the end of the season for rookie Ewers in hopes to turn things around, but Ewers went 1–2 as the starter.

How Willis fared in Green Bay, Tennessee

Willis was drafted in 2022 by the Titans, but served as a backup quarterback to Ryan Tannehill. Willis played in eight games and started in three during his rookie season when Tannehill was injured. He completed 50.8% of his passes for 276 yards that season. He once again served as Tannehill and Will Levis’s backup the following season.

Willis was traded to the Packers ahead of the 2024 season to play as Jordan Love’s backup. Across two seasons in Green Bay, Willis competed in 11 games and improved his stats exponentially. Last season, in which he started one game and played in four, Willis completed 85.7% of his passes for 422 yards and three touchdowns.

Willis definitely doesn’t have much starting experience under his belt in the NFL, but starting fresh in Miami could be just what he needs to be named a QB1 for the first time in his career.

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