Dolphins QB Malik Willis Opens Up About Jaylen Waddle Trade

The Miami Dolphins have had a busy offseason and will start the 2026 NFL season with a new quarterback under center. Malik Willis was signed to a three-year, $67.5 million deal, but he won't have star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to throw to.

Of course, Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos this offseason.

Willis was asked about the Waddle trade recently. He spoke out honestly with his thoughts on the topic and it was clear that he was disappointed by the trade.

"It was unfortunate, for sure, to say the least," Willis said. "That's a really good player and I would have loved to play with him, but that's above my pay grade, brother. Out of my hands."

Due to the Waddle trade and the fact that Tyreek Hill's tenure with the team seems to be over, there are concerns about what Willis has to work with offensively.

As of right now, the Dolphins' top wide receivers are Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell, and Malik Washington. Clearly, those are not the most ideal weapons.

Miami did address the wide receiver room in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Dolphins brought in Texas Tech's Caleb Douglas, Louisville's Chris Bell, and Missouri's Kevin Coleman Jr.

Thankfully, Miami should have a quality running game to take some pressure off of Willis. De'Von Achane is back with a new four-year extension worth $64 million. He will be asked to shoulder a hefty workload throughout the 2026 season.

It's obvious that Willis will be facing a challenge during his first season as the starter for the Dolphins. He will be asked to make his wide receivers better around him.

At the end of the day, it's a challenge that the young quarterback will embrace. After two straight elite seasons as the backup for the Green Bay Packers, Willis is simply excited to have a chance to prove that he can be an NFL starter.

Hopefully, some of the wide receivers on the roster are able to step up and play at a high level. If not, Willis and the Dolphins' offense could be in for a frustrating year.