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Breaking Down the National and Fan Reaction to the Willis Signing

The addition of Malik Willis as the new Miami Dolphins quarterback brought about some strong opinions
Jake Mendel|
Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium last October.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium last October. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Miami Dolphins

The first major addition of the Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley era came Monday when it was reported that Malik Willis is expected to sign a three-year contract with the Miami Dolphins.

Miami was linked to Willis ahead of free agency, but some questioned whether adding the former third-round pick made sense given the state of the Dolphins’ roster and the franchise’s limited salary cap space.

While nothing becomes official until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, there has been a wide range of opinions about Miami’s decision to acquire Willis.

National Media Reaction 

“He’s going to entertain us,” NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal said. “Right now, he’s the best running quarterback in the NFL. I’m putting him above Lamar Jackson. I think his ceiling is outrageously high for someone who is only getting this amount of money.

“This Dolphins offense is going to be unreal to watch with him and De’Von Achane.” 

Rosenthal, who hosts the NFL Daily Podcast, ranked Willis as the top player on his annual Top 101 Free Agents list. While he views the acquisition as a home-run hire, others aren’t so it’s a step in the right direction.

“If I had told you one year ago that Malik Willis was going to get a contract that was about $24 million average per year, you would’ve told me I’m nuts,” CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco said. “Here’s the other part of the equation: Is he actually a better quarterback than Tua?

“They could have easily played with Quinn Ewers and tanked and gone into next year’s draft and had a bunch of guys that are going to be really good quarterbacks — and we say that every year — but I really believe that for next year there will be a lot of good guys. They could have tanked, and this isn’t tanking.”

Questions about Willis’ potential stem from the fact that he’s only started six games throughout his four-year career. Despite the limited sample size, some still believe he has the traits and tools to thrive against NFL-caliber defenses. 

“The only thing with Malik is the fact that in 22 games, he only has six starts,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said. “You’re going to have to give him a little bit of runway in order to really find his footing, but there’s no question that his dual-threat capability is legit, it’s real, and do not put him in the box of just being a running quarterback who can also throw. This young man can throw the football first and foremost.”

Willis has completed 105 of 155 pass attempts for 1,322 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions throughout his professional career, but hasn’t thrown an interception since his rookie season in 2022. 

He appeared in four games last year for the Packers, completing 30 of 35 pass attempts for 422 yards and three touchdowns. He also averaged over five yards per carry and scored two touchdowns on 22 rushing attempts. 

“I love it for the Miami Dolphins,” Rich Eisen said. “Bet on the kid. Bet on the kid who was lighting it up at Liberty. Bet on the kid who went to Tennessee and didn't get what he needed. Time, didn't get the opportunity, didn't get anything. Goes to Green Bay and was totally born again. 

“Jeff Hafley, same thing with John-Eric Sullivan, they had the ability to read into his preparation. Front row seat saw the way he was working in the building, saw the way he was working with his teammates.”

Willis has started just three games over the last two seasons, but his limited sample size has Eisen believing that he can become a full-time starter. 

“Go get Malik Willis and start from scratch,” Eisen said. “See where you can go, him and Achane will be an interesting thing. Congratulations to him as well. The number of times I am sure he was told, you can't, you won't. He had to hear it, he had to absorb it, he had to ignore it. 

“And he did it. And he took advantage of his opportunities, and now he has hit it to the point where he goes to South Florida and can bring his talents to South Beach.” 

Fan Reaction

Much like the national media, Dolphins fans are split on how to feel about the addition. For some, it provides hope that the franchise can hit the ground running instead of taking a year to reset the salary cap.

However, after 25 years without a playoff win, others hoped Miami would take a year to reset the roster instead of rebuilding on the fly. 

The Dolphins have held the title of free agency winners in the past, but those moves haven’t translated to playoff success. While signing the top quarterback in the free agent class follows that trend, some fans don’t view Willis and his $67.5 million contract as the same type of all-in move previous front offices became known for.

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Jake Mendel
JAKE MENDEL

Jake Mendel joined On SI in March 2025 to cover the Miami Dolphins. Based in Massachusetts, he earned a master’s degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from Quinnipiac University. Before joining On SI, Jake covered the Dolphins for nearly a decade for SB Nation and FanSided.

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