The Miami Dolphins will have a new starting quarterback in the 2026 season, officially ending the Tua Tagovailoa era in Miami.
After the Dolphins released Tagovailoa, the team signed former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis to a three-year, $67 million contract. Despite the team preaching competition, Willis’ contract likely guarantees him the starting job for the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
However, after some concerning performances during the team’s offseason program, Malik Willis has now been hit with a troubling prediction ahead of the season.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Predicted to Lose His Starting Job
FanSided’s Nick Villano listed 10 NFL quarterbacks who could lose their job this year, among them was Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis.
Villano wrote: “This one might sound crazy since the Miami Dolphins just gave Malik Willis a $67 million contract to be their quarterback through a transition period, but we don’t foresee this working out very well. The former third-round pick revived his career with the Green Bay Packers and turned that into starter’s money.
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Willis is still a very limited quarterback. And the Dolphins put together a very limited roster. They lost Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle from the wide receiver core. Their top wide receiver on the depth chart is currently Malik Washington, who had a career high 317 yards last season.
Willis might be a fine quarterback in the right situation, but this couldn’t be a worse situation for him to thrive. There’s nobody to stretch the field, and defenses are going to sit underneath on all passing downs. They will flood the box to stop De’Von Achane and give Willis no time to throw.”
While saying Willis is a limited quarterback seems harsh, as he has not had time to prove whether he is limited or not, criticizing his supporting cast is fair. Among the people who questioned Miami’s group surrounding Willis was his former head coach in Green Bay Matt LaFleur, who said, “I think too many times quarterbacks get put in situations it can’t be all quarterback. You got to surround these guys with pieces. Nobody can do it by themselves and I’m not saying they have or have not, but I just think that has to be under consideration when you’re talking about the true evaluation of a quarterback.”
Lack of Faith in Willis
Unfortunately for Willis and the Miami Dolphins, expectations do not appear to be high for the team or the quarterback. Villano is not the first to question whether Willis will be benched in the first year of his new contract.
Previously, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed him as one of eight quarterbacks who could be benched in 2026. Knox wrote:
“Of course, it’s worth remembering Willis struggled mightily (49.4 QB rating) during his two years with a bad Tennessee Titans team before arriving in Green Bay. After purging the roster of talent in the offseason, Miami is probably closer to those Tennessee teams than what Willis had over the past two years with the Packers.
If Willis flops alongside Miami’s underwhelming supporting cast, the Dolphins are likely to chase a top QB prospect in the 2027 draft. That could mean turning to Quinn Ewers or undrafted rookie Mark Gronowski in a bit of organizational tanking—even though Willis would likely be back as a bridge in 2027.”
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