After the Miami Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth pick in the 2020 draft, there was a lot of hype. However, after a couple of disappointing seasons, it seems like the Dolphins could move on from Tua. However, there is one name that Dolphins fans should look out for in the Quarterback position.
Here’s the Post-Tua Tagovailoa QB That the Dolphins Are Predicted To Bet on
Out of all the offseason predictions, Malik Willis to Miami is one of the more common ones for one big reason: the Green Bay Packers connection.
Before becoming the head coach of the Dolphins, Jeff Hafley was the Packers’ defensive coordinator, and new General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was part of the Packers’ Front Office.
As ESPN’s Seth Walder wrote: “Miami’s new brain trust consists of two former Packers in general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley. While I think NFL coaches and front office personnel dramatically overemphasize the importance of previously working with a player, there’s no denying it plays a huge role in personnel decisions. Therefore, I think it absolutely increases the probability Willis ends up in Miami.”
However, the question is, would it be a great fit?
The Dolphins are in the AFC, which contains the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots. Both the Patriots and Bills have high upside QBs on their teams. The Bills have 2024 MVP Winner Josh Allen, who has established himself as one of the best QBs. The Patriots have Drake Maye, who had an MVP-like season in 2025 and took his team to the Super Bowl.
Both Allen and Maye have dazzled the league and terrorized opposing defenses with their fantastic physical traits. Maye finished 2nd on the PFSN’s NFL Quarterback Impact metric, and Allen finished the season as the 3rd-ranked QB overall.
So, by bringing in Willis, a QB with great speed and a very quick release, it would help them stay competitive in a very competitive AFC East. In the Tua era, the Dolphins struggled mightily against both Allen and Maye. Tua was 2-9 against the Bills. Against the Patriots, Tua was 1-1; however, in his one loss, he did have a game-ending interception.
Willis, being a great running QB, could fit the identity of this Dolphins team very well. With Hafley being a defensive-minded head coach, he is likely to want that unit well rested in games. Having a great run game can pair well with a great defense.
Running the ball gives the Dolphins’ defense a chance to rest. The Dolphins already have running back De’Von Achane on the team, who is a great back with top-tier speed and agility. Adding Willis to the mix could make the Dolphins one of the better running teams in the NFL.
In his brief cameos across 2024 and 2025, Willis was electric. He posted an 86.3 QBR, finished plus-7% in completion percentage over expected (per NFL Next Gen Stats), didn’t throw a single interception (though he did lose three fumbles), and averaged a hefty 9.2 yards per dropback. He scrambled on 13% of those dropbacks and added 17 designed rushes, stressing defenses in every direction.
But as Walder cautioned, “He [Willis] started only three games. So, the Dolphins would be basing their 2026 starting quarterback decision on an extremely small sample size. And those three games came under coach Matt LaFleur, an elite offensive designer.”
However, the Dolphins’ new Offensive Coordinator, Bobby Slowik, could work great with Willis. Slowik was part of the now somewhat iconic 2013 Washington coaching staff that featured great offensive minds like Sean McVay, LaFleur, Kyle Shanahan, and Mike McDaniel.
Since then, Slowik has had many jobs. One is the offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans. With the Texans, he got great play out of C.J. Stroud, especially during Stroud’s outstanding 2023 rookie campaign.
In conclusion, from the front office to on the field, Willis would be an excellent addition for the Dolphins. He offers a lot of high upside for a rebuilding team and has a chance to become the next Franchise Guy for Miami.
