Malik Willis is on the move. As NFL free agency dawned this morning, the Miami Dolphins made an anticipated move and then reached for their future. As everyone around the league predicted, Miami parted ways with its sixth-year quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, ending a chapter that began with so much promise but ended in a string of injuries.
And with Tua packing his bags and heading elsewhere, the Dolphins quickly solved their quarterback vacancy by agreeing to a contract with former Green Bay Packer, Willis. With him at the helm, Miami hopes to revitalize an offense that has been beset with injuries and departures of key players. Before we discuss Willis’ potential impact with the Dolphins, let’s look back at Tua’s tenure in Miami.
The Tua Saga Ends in South Beach
Tua’s career in Miami started on a positive note. The Dolphins, accused of tanking the previous season to create an opportunity to draft him, selected the former Alabama quarterback fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He began his first year on the bench behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, but eventually started 9 games in the second half of the season.
His highlights during this period include 300+-yard games against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. A rib injury hampered him at the beginning of his sophomore season, but he came back strong, leading his team to seven wins in a row down the stretch.
All the while, he and Dolphins coach Brian Flores could never see eye to eye. There was a thick tension in the team’s headquarters that could not be ignored. The outlook improved when Miami hired Mike McDaniel to be its new head coach in 2022. Tua played enough that season to lead the NFL in passer rating (108.5), and he marshalled his team to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. In 2023, Tua put it all together and led the league with 4,624 passing yards, good enough to earn him a Pro Bowl berth.
Despite the injuries, Miami had enough confidence in its quarterback to sign him to a four-year extension worth $212.4 million, of which $167 million was guaranteed. But injuries hampered him over the next two seasons, with the team going 12-13 when he played, prompting McDaniel to bench him for the final three games of the 2025 campaign. Hence, the decision to release him today despite the team still owing him a record $99.2 from his contract extension. And that’s where Mr. Willis enters stage right.
Willis Gets His Shot
When Willis arrives in Miami, a familiar face will be there to greet him. In the offseason, the Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley, who spent the previous two seasons as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator and as its head coach. Malik was likely on Hafley’s radar from the moment he was hired.
Willis, originally drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2022, has shown marked improvement in Green Bay, especially in accuracy and game management. He is a modern-day mobile quarterback whose excellent footwork will help him avoid punishment from opponents’ pass rushes.
However, Willis was not an inexpensive acquisition. As one of the top free agents on the market and certainly the best quarterback available, he signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract with Miami, of which $45 million is guaranteed. The onus on Willis and the Dolphins is to package all the excellent flashes of talent he displayed with the Packers and craft that into a consistent, dynamic, every-down NFL quarterback routine.
The Road Ahead
While Willis attempts to rejuvenate the Dolphins’ offense, it was just announced that Tua is set to sign a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. Terms were not announced, but he will likely sign for the league minimum, as Miami will pay most of his salary. So, whether he is brought in to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the Falcons’ starting quarterback position or he is hired to be a bridge until Penix recovers from his ACL tear, Tua will seek a jumpstart to his once-promising career.
