Free-agent quarterback Malik Willis is reportedly signing a three-year, $67.5 million contract with the Miami Dolphins, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
The news comes hours after the teamannounced the impending release of veteran Tua Tagovailoa, who started 76 games for Miami over the past six seasons.
Willis, 26, put his name back on the map last season while filling in for an injured Jordan Love with the Green Bay Packers. Across parts of four games in 2025 (one start), Willis completed 30 of 35 passes (85.7%), threw three touchdowns to zero interceptions, and posted a passer rating of 145.5 and a 93.1 QBR. He also rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
New Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan both came from the Packers organization, so there's already familiarity on both sides. Additionally, defensive coordinator Sean Duggan and passing game coordinator Ryan Downard came from Green Bay.
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Hafley acknowledged that Willis didn't always get an opportunity to show his skills as the scout team quarterback in practice.
"A lot of times he really couldn't do what he does best because if we were playing a dropback guy, and he started scrambling, I'll tell him, 'Hey, you got to stay in the pocket. Stop scrambling. That's not what we're doing today,"Hafley told the Miami Herald. "And then if we were playing a scrambler, he could play his game and do his thing."
"All you can do is do your part, hold guys accountable as well as hold yourself accountable," Willis said on "The Pat McAfee Show" after the signing was reported.
During his two years in Green Bay, Willis was 2-1 as a starting quarterback and appeared in 11 games overall. In those games, Willis completed nearly 79% of his passes for 972 yards on just 89 attempts. Willis had six touchdown passes and was not picked off once. He posted a 134.6 passer rating and 77.3 QBR in those 11 games as a Packer.
A 2022 third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, Willis appeared in 11 games and started three during his rookie campaign. In his second season with the Titans, Willis only recorded five official pass attempts. Overall, he won one of his three starts and completed 53% of his passes for 350 yards and no touchdowns.
Willis was traded to the Packers for a seventh-round pick before the 2024 season and spent the past two seasons backing up Love. The opportunity presented in Green Bay came along at the right time for Willis, and working with one of the best offensive minds in the NFL under head coach Matt LaFleur is a huge plus.