Dolphins Friday Mailbag: Willis Accuracy Concerns, Nondescript WR Corps, and More

Part 1 of a Father's Day weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Nuts in a wheelbarrow:

Who do you see having a breakout year this year?

So by definition we’re talking about a player who has yet to have a very productive season, which would eliminate certain players from contention here. The obvious candidates would include Greg Dulcich, Jonah Savaiinaea and either of the backup running backs, plus Kenneth Grant, Chop Robinson or somebody like JuJu Brents on defense. Of those, the player I’m most confident will perform well is Brents, though I do have concerns about his ability to stay healthy. So my overall and final answer will be Kenneth Grant.

From Steve:

Do you think the Dolphins will put in a claim for Brendan Sorsby and, if so, what do you think they will bid?

Hey Steve, I discussed at length my thoughts on the Dolphins and Sorsby and what they should do in a recent column, but my gut feeling is he’ll be gone by the time they’d consider putting in a bid.

From JCEsq1982:

Given the potential for several college QB prospects to be considered as franchise QBs, how good a season does Willis need to have to prevent the team from spending its first-round pick on one of them?

That’s a very good question and it’s one that probably doesn’t get an answer with mere statistics. It’s going to come down to a feel for both Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley that their belief in Malik Willis was justified and that he indeed is franchise quarterback material. If there’s any doubt, then the Dolphins should go QB shopping with their first-round pick in 2027 if it’s a high selection, at least in my view.

From Dave Campbell:

Greetings Alain! After watching some other QBs & listening to a certain writer/podcaster who frequently wears an Expos hat, I too have become an arm queen. Which Dolphins QB has had the strongest arm in your opinion? Old enough to remember Marino flinging it down field to a streaking Duper effortlessly & zipping into a tight space to his TE. Always look forward to both All Dolphins and Dolphins Collective podcasts plus all the best written work on MiamiDolphinsonSI.Com.

Thanks as always Dave and, wait, there’s another writer/podcaster who wears an Expos hat? LOL. To your question, we might have to stop right there with Marino, though I think a case could be made for Jay Cutler as well because that dude could sling it. Daunte Culpepper also had a strong arm, though we didn’t get to see it very much in his very short, ill-fated tenure. I think I might rank it Cutler, Marino, Culpepper.

From Invader CB:

With the previous regime it seemed the Dolphins had a pipeline on Rosenhaus clients. Does the new regime have a relationship with any agent or agencies?

That’s a very interesting question, though the Rosenhaus connection wasn’t so much about a relationship with Chris Grier or previous coaches, but rather the fact that Rosenhaus has an awful lot of clients around the NFL and he’s based in South Florida. Those two factors kind of made it logical for him to have a heavy presence around the Dolphins.

From Jayco:

Happy Father’s Day Alain. Has a mailbag question ever inspired you to write a column?

Hey Jayco, thanks (and right back at you if it applies). And absolutely I have on occasion taken a mailbag question that was very interesting and also required a lengthy answer and turned it into a column. And I plan on continuing doing that moving forward.

From Jorge Francisco boyd:

Hi Alain, a simple question, from what you have seen, do you believe Malik Willis has an accuracy issue?

Hey Jorge, “accuracy issue” is too strong a term for what I saw in the spring practices open to the media. What I would say is that I did notice his feet not being set on certain throws, which isn’t entirely ideal, but to suggest an accuracy issue is too strong for me. It’s being portrayed in certain parts (not here) that he missed on a lot of throws in the spring, which simply is not correct. There were some misfires, but that’s going to happen. Accuracy has never been mentioned as one of Willis’ strengths, but I don’t think it’s a concern at this point.

From Dan Ford:

Hey Alain! What is the salary cap impact of Aaron Brewer’s extension for 2026 and beyond?

Hey Dan, can’t answer that just yet because the details of his contract haven’t come in yet, but a best guess is his cap number for 2026 will increase a bit from its current $4.9 million because of the prorated portion of the signing bonus he got and the cap numbers for 2027 and beyond will depend on whether most of his new money came in the form of a signing bonus or base salaries. For example, De’Von Achane got only a $4.3 million signing bonus (very low for a player of his stature) but he got $12 million in guaranteed salary for 2027.

From Luis Rodriguez:

Hey Alain, is this the most unknown group of WRs in the last 25 years? I thought 2007 would have been more unknown, but that group on paper were actually pretty good. Thoughts?

Hey Luis, the 2007 Dolphins began the season with a group with much more recognizable wide receivers because they had Marty Booker and Chris Chambers (before he was traded to San Diego) along with rookie first-round pick Ted Ginn Jr. You could make an argument, though, that the 2008 wide receiver corps was more unknown than this year’s because Booker and Chambers were gone and the leading receivers were Ginn, journeyman Greg Camarillo and rookie free agent Davone Bess, along with Brandon London, Derek Hagan and Ernest Wilford.

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