Malik Willis has only just started his Miami Dolphins run, and the judgments are already coming in. That’s what happens when a quarterback arrives on a $67.5 million contract with a fan base watching every throw and a coaching staff expecting answers.
But after only four camp practices, the picture is still incomplete. Willis has flashed at times and looked rough at others, which is exactly what you’d expect from a player learning a new system, working with a new group of teammates, and trying to settle into an offense that is still taking shape.
That hasn’t stopped the outside noise. In his latest piece, Miami Herald beat writer Omar Kelly wasn’t overly impressed, saying, "Looks more like Tyrod Taylor than Jalen Hurts," when describing Willis’ early camp work. That’s a big label to throw around this soon.
The reality is that Willis has not been handed an easy setup. He walked into a situation where Jaylen Waddle was the top offensive target, only to see him traded within a month. The players around him now have not yet established themselves in the league, and the chemistry simply isn’t there yet.
That matters. A quarterback can’t build timing in a vacuum, and Willis is still working through that adjustment.
The Dolphins also are not letting him run in practice, choosing instead to keep him focused on the basics of throwing from the pocket. That takes a piece of his game off the table for now, even if it’s part of what makes him dangerous.
Jeff Hafley has seen enough to know the process is still in motion. "So when I look at a player, is Malik (Willis) going to be where he is in five weeks?
No, I thought some periods Malik looked really good. The others, he looked rusty."
That’s the honest read here. Willis is learning the tempo of the Dolphins’ offense, and he’s still building comfort with the receivers around him. He is beginning to develop some rhythm with rookie Caleb Douglas, which is a start.
The month of August is still ahead, and that gives Willis time to keep moving forward. Hafley understands where he is now and what still needs work.
The expectation isn’t that he be polished after one week of camp. It’s that he improve, practice by practice.
Right now, that process is still underway, and it’s too early to pin a label on him or force a comparison.
In Other News...
Dolphins First Padded Practice Raised Real Questions Up Front
The Dolphins got into pads for the first time in training camp, and the session had the feel of an early measuring stick for both sides of the ball. Miami worked through one-on-one drills but skipped 7-on-7 periods, giving the first real glimpse of how the lines would hold up once contact picked up. Cornerback Ethan Bonner stood out with an interception and tight coverage, while Malik Willis put together a strong passing day as the team sorted through the opening physical tests.
Up front, the review was less tidy. The offensive line showed mixed results, which is exactly the kind of thing that gets more attention once the pads come on, and the absences also mattered with Greg Dulcich and Jamaree Salyer out. Austin Jackson was limited because of injury, leaving the Dolphins with more questions than answers about how settled they are across the front as camp begins to turn from installation to evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Wilkins Still Looms Over A Bigger Dolphins Question
Clelin Ferrells arrival in Miami brought an immediate reminder of how much Christian Wilkins meant to some of the players who passed through the locker room with him. Ferrell pointed to his former college teammate as a positive influence in his own decision to join the Dolphins, a small but telling note about the kind of presence Wilkins had during his five seasons in Miami before heading to Las Vegas.
Now Wilkins is back on the market, though the conversation around him is much bigger than simple free agency. He has not played in nearly two years, and after a contract dispute with the Raiders, his NFL future is far from settled. Ferrell said he hopes Wilkins draws interest somewhere, but for now the more important question is whether a player who once felt like a foundational piece can actually find his way back onto a field. [Read more 🡒]