The Miami Dolphins’ Malik Willis signing was met with far less fanfare than other teams’ offseason pickups. While the red carpet was laid out and parades were thrown for Jaelan Phillips and Trey Hendrickson, Willis arrived in Miami with less than a slow clap. Anyone who knows what the former Liberty quarterback is capable of, and has to play Miami this year, is hiding in their closet.
It’s not Willis’ fault, since he has been hidden as a backup for years. Those who don’t follow the NFL Draft year-round don’t know, and those who do have forgotten, that there was a time when the new Miami quarterback was talked about as a potential number one pick. The talk may have been short-lived, and it may have been quiet, but it existed in certain circles.
At this point, though, all that matters is what Willis has done as a pro, and limited as it may be, it’s incredibly impressive. Backing up Jordan Love for two seasons in Green Bay, Willis only made three starts, going 2-1. He threw six touchdown passes to no interceptions, and had an unbelievable completion percentage of 78.7. Not only does Willis possess the most powerful arm in the NFL (sorry, Joe Milton), but he throws with laser-like precision.
According to his advanced passing statistics, 85.2% of his passes were on target over the past two seasons. How impressive is that? Drake Maye led the NFL in completion percentage in 2025, and his throws were on target 79% of the time. Drew Brees, the most accurate passer in the history of the NFL (who had nowhere even close to the arm strength of Willis), had a career-best of 84.1% on-target throws in 2019.
The Dolphins’ Malik Willis Doesn’t Just Have The Most Arm Talent In The NFL
Having the best arm in the league and being more accurate than any other quarterback in the league would be enough to get excited about, but there’s so much more to Willis’ game. He did not run at his draft combine, but was clocked in college running a 4.37 forty. What makes his speed especially frightening is that he isn’t afraid to use it. Over the past two seasons, Willis has averaged a carry for every two pass attempts. Lamar Jackson averaged one per every three attempts when he won the MVP in 2023.
Willis is also a better runner than Jackson is. He has 261 yards on 42 carries over the last two years, which is 6.2 yards per carry. Jackson averaged 5.5 in that MVP season, 6.0 for his career. Applying Willis’ averages to Jackson’s 2023 numbers (457 pass attempts and 148 carries), the former Packer would have a stat line of nearly 5,000 yards passing, 31 touchdowns, and 918 yards rushing. That makes his 3-year deal, worth $67.5 million, the steal of the century.
Miami Has No One To Throw To
The biggest obstacle to Willis taking his first steps toward the Hall of Fame may be his receiving targets. Malik Washington is the Dolphins’ top returning pass catcher, hauling in 46 receptions last season for 317 yards. He’s followed by Jalen Tolbert (18 receptions for 203 yards) and Tutu Atwell (six receptions for 192 yards). Greg Dulcich is at tight end, and he only caught 26 balls last year for 335 yards.
If Willis is going to have success, he may need bigger-than-expected production from one or both of the team’s third-round picks this year. Caleb Douglas, out of Texas Tech, went 75th overall after pulling in 54 catches for 846 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. He’s 6’4 and runs a 3.39 forty. Given his competition in the receiving room, it’s not crazy to think he will benefit the most from Willis’ rocket throws.
Chris Bell went 19 picks later out of Louisville, and has good size (6’2 and 220 pounds) and speed (4.40). If he can memorize the route tree, he could be a weapon in the Dolphins’ offense as well. The key to Miami’s success may be their running game. Aside from Willis carrying the ball like Michael Vick in his prime, the Dolphins’ offense will undoubtedly feature a heavy dose of DeVon Achane. He had more than 1800 total yards last season, thanks to his blazing speed, but he’s not the only one in the backfield who runs like a blur.
Jaylen Wright runs a sub-4.40 forty and averaged 4.1 yards per carry last season. New offensive coordinator Bobby Slowick will be running the show in the play-calling department, with new head coach Jeff Hafley being a more defensive-minded captain. If Slowick can work the same magic with Willis that he did with CJ Stroud, the sky is the limit for Miami. His new quarterback is supremely more gifted than the Texans signal-caller.
All in all, it’s going to be a special season for the Dolphins. Anyone sleeping on this team in 2026 is about to have nightmares.
