Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis continues to impress coaches with his attitude and play style.
Dating back to OTAs and minicamp, Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis was putting his leadership on full display. Despite being a quiet-natured player in general, his voice on the field has been well-documented.
Willis and the offense have gone toe-to-toe with the defense, and the quarterback threw some impressive balls to receivers during Tuesday's practice. In terms of what offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is seeing, he loves Willis' "all-in" mindset.
"I've been really, really pleased with Malik. Just his work ethic every day. What he's doing, just not with me; with the players, his relationships he's building with all of them," Slowik said. "From the guys up front to the guys on defense to obviously the skills, he's really putting the time in. He's living in the facility. He's in my office probably every few days and we're just hanging out and kicking it. So I mean, he's all in on making sure mentally he's up to snuff on where he needs to be and feels confident.
Willis may only have six starts in his NFL career, but he continues to behave like a starter in the building. That same sentiment was echoed by Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, who indicated the quarterback has been even more vocal with players.
"We're only through a handful of practices, but he's already grabbing guys on the side talking to him. If a guy drops the ball, he's encouraging him. You can see him and Malik (Washington) are on the sideline talking about routes, how to do this, how to do that, what the defense is playing," Hafley said.
Willis has a tall task ahead, as he will be the presumed starter when Week 1 rolls around in early September. He will be the face of the organization and take on the risks that come with being a starting quarterback.
Following the exodus of Tua Tagovailoa, Willis was brought in to assume the role of the franchise answer for a Miami team that has needed stability since Dan Marino retired way back in 1999.
With multiple passers coming and going, the Dolphins are now set to see if Willis can be the quarterback that will remain under center for the foreseeable future.
Considering the journey that Willis has had thus far in the NFL, he is also taking the chance very seriously. He hosted a camp with many of the Dolphins' receivers and players during the offseason, and the amount of work he is putting in during training camp continues to impress.
Hafley did indicate that the quarterback has a long way to go, as does this entire offense. However, the chemistry in the building is starting to take shape.
The Dolphins are also ensuring Willis will work on his throwing capabilities, as he has mostly been kept from making plays with his legs. While he is a dual-threat passer, Hafley, Slowik, and the coaching staff are keeping things through the air with the quarterback for now.
Miami will play its first preseason game on Aug. 14 against the Washington Commanders, and that may be the first time the world gets to see Willis under center. Then again, Hafley may also want to preserve the passer for later on in training camp.
Hafley has yet to announced what the full plan is, but Willis is expected to play at least one game.
