Heading into the 2026 season, things don’t appear to be promising for the Miami Dolphins. Their roster was recently ranked the worst in the NFL, and this appears to be the first step in what could be a long rebuild for Miami.
Unfortunately for some of the players on Miami’s roster, being on a team with a talent deficit will make their situation difficult in 2026. And perhaps the one who will most be harmed by this is free agent acquisition Malik Willis.
Willis signed a three-year, $67 million contract with $45 million guaranteed over the first two seasons, after impressing over the past two years as the backup quarterback in Green Bay. Miami’s investment is large enough to guarantee that Willis will be the team’s starter in 2026; however, it is not to the degree where he is guaranteed to be the Dolphins’ quarterback in 2027.
Now, an NFL analyst does not appear to have much faith in Miami’s new quarterback, as he’s predicted Miami adding a quarterback after the 2026 season.
Miami Dolphins Predicted to Add Arch Manning in NFL Draft
Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo released a 2027 Mock Draft, and had the Miami Dolphins selecting Texas quarterback Arch Manning with the first overall pick.
Melo wrote:
“The Miami Dolphins are in full-blown rebuild mode. They signed Malik Willis this offseason as a temporary solution, but his presence wouldn’t prevent them from drafting a quarterback if they get the top pick. Arch Manning finished his 2025 season in rather strong fashion. Manning started to look like a quarterback capable of going No. 1 overall after a slow start to his debut campaign as a starter.”
Regarding Miami potentially adding Manning in the 2027 NFL Draft, A to Z Sports writer Kyle Crabbs wrote:
“The Dolphins certainly didn’t sign Malik Willis to be a short-term solution. They believe he’s capable of performing at a level that would warrant being the long-term answer. But if Miami finishes this season with the No. 1 overall draft pick, it’s going to be hard to compartmentalize the performance of Willis and the team as a whole.
Manning has plenty of enticing tools but at this stage, the most enticing part of his resume is the name. He’s still rough around the edges, as you may expect for a one-year starter. The question for him this season will be how much polish he adds to his game after an offseason of being the unquestioned starter at Texas.”
Malik Willis’ Upcoming Season
For Malik Willis, the 2026 season will be all about proving he deserves to be Miami’s franchise quarterback going forward. If the team lands the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, it seems unlikely that Willis did enough to secure that role moving forward.
As mentioned previously, Willis will have the difficult task of leading a Dolphins offense with a substantial talent deficit. Originally, that did not appear to be the plan when he signed in free agency, as the team still had Jaylen Waddle on its roster. Unfortunately for Willis, Miami traded Waddle a few weeks later.
For the Dolphins, entering 2027 with the No. 1 quarterback prospect would not be a bad thing. However, it would mean enduring the team’s worst season since 2007.
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