The Miami Dolphins are betting on Malik Willis to be the face of a new era, but the first big quarterback ranking of the season didn’t exactly treat that like a sure thing.
Mike Sando of The Athletic published his annual quarterback tiers on Tuesday, and Willis landed in Tier 4, a group reserved for quarterbacks who are either still unproven or veterans who ideally would not be asked to start every week. That put him alongside names like Geno Smith, Deshaun Watson, Michael Penix Jr. and JJ McCarthy.
What stands out for Miami is where Willis landed relative to Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa, who is out in Miami, checked in tied for 26th with New Orleans second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. Both were placed a tier above Willis, in the category Sando used for solid starters who need help from a defense or run game to win.
Willis came in at 29th, which reflected less certainty about him than anything else. The article pointed to the limited body of work around him and his development as the main reason he slotted so low.
Still, he wasn’t buried at the bottom of the tier. Among the quarterbacks listed there, Willis was ranked the highest and was viewed as the one with the most upside.
That upside was part of the reason Miami made him a three-year commitment in the offseason, giving him a chance to become the team’s starting quarterback. The Dolphins knew they were not signing a finished product. They were betting on growth.
The reporting on Tagovailoa was more measured than glowing. One defensive coach told Sando, “Solid starter if you know what to do with Tua,” before adding, “You gotta make sure the ball’s out of his hands.
You gotta make sure when he drops back, if he takes one or a shuffle step out a gun, the ball’s out. And if it’s not, he’s getting hit, ‘cause he can’t run.”
The view on Willis had a different edge to it: less certainty, but more room to climb.
“They are committing to him. I just feel like Year 1 has the potential to be rough just because they are building out the infrastructure around him.”
Another executive saw a quarterback who could still rise if the right support comes together.
“He’s got some energy, some bounce to him as a passer and runner,” an exec said. “Out of this year’s (veteran) QB class, he’s the one guy where you said, ‘OK, if we sign him, we give him a couple years, he could maybe ascend to that 2 level.' ”
That is the gamble Miami made. If Willis develops inside the system, he can become more than just a bridge option. If he doesn’t, the contract still leaves the Dolphins room to explore another direction in the draft.
Willis has already taken a winding route to get here. He was essentially pushed out of Tennessee after two seasons and then dealt to Green Bay for the equivalent of a ham sandwich. In Green Bay, he was quickly thrown into a start for a team with Super Bowl expectations.
His first start against the Indianapolis Colts in September of 2024 was modest on paper: 122 passing yards and one touchdown, with the Packers leaning on the run game. But he won over the locker room by learning the playbook quickly.
And the tools are there. Willis is one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the league, capable of extending plays and operating within Matt LaFleur’s offense.
Sando’s ranking may have placed him near the bottom for now, but Miami clearly sees a player whose position could change fast. By this time next year, the list could look very different.
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