Malik Willis is entering his fifth NFL season, but Jeff Hafley is treating this stretch like it’s the quarterback’s first real crack at the job.
That fits the reality. Willis has only six career starts, which is why the Dolphins are planning to give him work in Friday night’s preseason opener against the Commanders at 7 p.m. at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD.
“He'd kind of been quiet playing his role, playing football,” Hafley said before a joint practice with Washington in Virginia. “I saw more leadership this week, not just with the wide receivers, but the whole offense.
And I think that's a really big step. And I'm really proud of him for that.”
For Miami, the point of these August snaps is simple: get a young team on the field together and let it feel game conditions.
“We're young,” Hafley said, adding, “We need to experience going into a game together, being in the locker room, coming out together, the kickoff, everything that goes into it. We got to play football, so everybody should expect to play.”
Willis showed off his mobility during the joint practice, scrambling when the pressure closed in. That kind of movement has long been part of his game. He’s got a strong arm, he can run, and he isn’t afraid of the moment.
But the bigger question is how he functions when the structure around him is still coming together. The offensive line is still trying to gel, and the receiver group is unproven. That makes Friday a useful test for Willis, and the obvious name to circle in the Dolphins-Commanders matchup.
There are other players worth tracking, starting with left guard Kadyn Proctor. He’s shifting from college tackle to NFL guard, and this should be his first chance to show it under the lights. Washington’s defensive line had several strong moments against Miami’s offensive line in the joint practice, so Proctor gets an immediate shot at a response.
Jonah Savaiinaea is another interior lineman in a transition, moving from left guard to right guard because he’s more comfortable on that side. He gave up too many pass pressures last season, but his practice work has shown improvement. The real question now is whether that carries over when the reps count.
At receiver, Caleb Douglas has been one of camp’s standouts, enough to make GM Jon-Eric Sullivan look pretty good for taking him in the third round. Douglas brings size, wingspan, speed and body control, and Miami is hoping he and Chris Bell, once Bell returns from a knee injury, can grow into reliable targets for Willis.
And then there’s linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, whom Jordyn Brooks described as “ascending.” Rodriguez already treats practice like a game, and that kind of nonstop effort should translate quickly. He plays with relentless pursuit and a nose for the ball, and there’s every reason to think the second-round pick will be on the field early and often.
In Other News...
Dolphins Face A Bigger Passing-Game Question After Preseason Swing
The Dolphins got a useful look at themselves against Washington in a joint practice and preseason game, but the bigger takeaway was how quickly the matchup turned into a test of depth and decision-making. Both teams held several starters out or limited, and Miami jumped out to an early 7-0 lead before the night settled into the kind of evaluation-heavy football that usually tells coaches more about roster spots than the scoreboard.
Washington announced 26 players, including key starters, would not play, which only added to the uncertainty around what either side was really showing. Still, the game carried a reminder that the passing game can change fast when the quarterback rotation shifts, and the Dolphins left with another layer to sort through as they keep assessing how their offense looks once the preseason reps start getting handed around. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Leave First Preseason Test With Two Concerns Fans Noticed
The Dolphins first preseason test offered a little of everything, starting with a crisp opening drive that ended in a touchdown before the offense settled into a much shakier rhythm. Malik Willis got Miami moving early, but the backups had a harder time sustaining anything consistent, and the passing game never found much traction after that opening burst. Even in a loss to Washington, there were enough encouraging individual moments up front and on the defensive side to suggest some parts of the roster are trending the right way.
Still, the 20-7 result left two issues hanging over the night for Miami observers. The quarterback play behind the first unit was uneven, with completions hard to come by and interceptions adding to the frustration, while the run defense also gave up too much ground and paid for it in the end zone. For a team trying to sort out depth and identity before the games count, those are the kinds of preseason problems that tend to linger until the next chance to clean them up. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Cant Ignore This Early Tua Comparison
Malik Willis got his first preseason look in a Dolphins uniform and made it count, showing enough poise to settle into the offense and draw praise from coach Jeff Hafley. Miami asked for clean operation and some movement on the opening night of exhibition play, and Willis delivered a steady debut that gave the staff and fans something to watch as the quarterback picture starts to take shape.
Across the league, Tua Tagovailoas new chapter in Atlanta opened far less smoothly, which only sharpened the contrast for Dolphins observers who remember how closely every preseason snap gets judged around here. The early comparison is hard to miss, even if its only one exhibition game for each player, and it leaves Miami with a fresh talking point as the team keeps sorting out what it wants from the position moving forward. [Read more 🡒]