The Miami Dolphins have their new quarterback, signing Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal.
Just hours after the release of Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins already have their new quarterback in Malik Willis.
After months and weeks of speculation, the front office is signing Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal. This includes $45 million of fully guaranteed money.
Willis gets a deal that puts him at $22.5 million per season. Multiple reports indicated he could reach $30 million, though many teams were skeptical of that money.
The $20 million per season mark was where most reports indicated that Willis would receive, and he gets a bit over that. Miami may have been in quarterback limbo following the release of Tagovailoa, but they now get a dangerous dual-threat passer.
Willis has only six starts in the NFL, which was a major worry for most organizations. However, he showed flashes of brilliance when filling in for the injured Jordan Love in 2025.
During the 2025 season, Willis appeared in four games and started one. In that time, he secured 422 passing yards and touchdowns, along with 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Willis has had an up-and-down career thus far. After being drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, he was pulled into action, replacing Ryan Tannehill.
Despite his limited action, Willis never made a big impact, only attempting five passes in the 2023 season. The young passer was then traded to the Packers for a seventh-round pick in 2024, where he remained as the backup for Love.
Willis showcased some great skills in the 2025 season, leading many to believe that he would get a chance to start and a bigger contract.
Despite many quarterback-needy teams being mentioned alongside Willis, like the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, and more — he has signed with the Dolphins.
The connections for Willis and the Dolphins were obvious due to general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley both coming over from Green Bay. The expectation was that Miami was not going to be a major player in free agency, but they pulled off a huge signing.
After cutting Tua Tagovailoa and trading Minkah Fitzpatrick ahead of the start of free agency, the Dolphins now have their presumed starter.
Willis' deal is good for two years, with the third potentially being the out for the Dolphins if he does not work out. Either way, the new era of football in South Florida is here.