Chris Perkins: Dolphins, specifically Sullivan and Hafley, would be risking it all on Malik Willis
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Chris Perkins: Dolphins, specifically Sullivan and Hafley, would be risking it all on Malik Willis

Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun-Sentinel | February 28, 2026

You wonder whether Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley are willing to risk it all on Green Bay quarterback Malik Willis. Because that’s what they’d be doing if they sign the 26-year-old Willis, who they know from their two years together in Green Bay, to a multi-year free-agent contract. Sullivan and Hafley would be risking everything from owner Steve Ross’ money ...

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis drops back to pass in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field on Dec. 27, 2025, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Michael Reaves/Getty Images North America/TNS


You wonder whether Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley are willing to risk it all on Green Bay quarterback Malik Willis.

Because that’s what they’d be doing if they sign the 26-year-old Willis, who they know from their two years together in Green Bay, to a multi-year free-agent contract.

Sullivan and Hafley would be risking everything from owner Steve Ross’ money to Sullivan’s vow to “infuse competition” into the quarterback room.

They’d be risking their credibility with Dolphins fans if Willis wasn’t an instant hit. Worse, they could be risking the entire rebuild.

Frankly speaking, Sullivan and Hafley would be putting their reputations on the line by signing Willis, who has never been a full-time starter.

Willis, at a smallish 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, only has six games of starting experience in four seasons: two with Tennessee, which made him a third-round pick in 2022 and a backup behind Ryan Tannehill and Will Levis, and two in Green Bay, where he was a backup to Jordan Love.

That’s not exactly a Who’s Who list of starting quarterbacks that Willis couldn’t beat for the No. 1 job.

Against that backdrop, Willis would be installed as Miami’s starter if he signed with the Dolphins.

Common sense says if you sign a quarterback to, say, a three-year, $80 million deal, which roughly what Willis will command, he’s your starter. Period.

Further, common sense says no, there wouldn’t be training camp competition.

And to think it was only Tuesday when Sullivan remarked at the NFL scouting combine that his job is to “infuse competition” into the quarterback room.

Willis is the no-brainer starter if he signs with the Dolphins.

If Willis doesn’t start, the Dolphins could be spending close to $100 million for non-starting quarterbacks next season — Tua Tagovailoa (if they cut him and give him a post-June 1 designation) and Willis (if he’s on the bench as a backup).

It would be a bad look on a few levels.

It would be bad financially, obviously, to be spending around $92 million on two quarterbacks in 2026, and neither is your starter.

It also wouldn’t speak well for the new regime’s judgment, signing a quarterback who lost a training camp competition for the starting job to a multi-year contract.

And it would be the organization’s second consecutive questionable quarterback contract (after Tua).

Looking at the bright side of things, Sullivan and Hafley could be deemed geniuses if they sign Willis and he’s the answer.

That’s a possibility.

Sullivan and Hafley have unique insight into Willis’ skill set and mentality.

They should know better than any others whether Willis, who is impressively agile, can do the job.

And remember, Willis (105 of 155 in his career for 1,322 yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions and a 98.9 passer rating) doesn’t have to be an All Pro-level quarterback. He can simply be timely and effective, such as Seattle’s Sam Darnold, the reigning Super Bowl champ, or Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, the Super Bowl champ from two seasons ago.

It should go without saying that if the Dolphins sign Willis you’d hope that Sullivan and Hafley would be smart enough to build around him. The Dolphins failed to do that with Tannehill and Tua. Instead, they thought their head coaches could magically turn those quarterbacks into Hall of Famers and the franchise ended up wasting the vast majority of those years.

You know my feelings on the Dolphins acquiring Willis. I think it’d be a bad idea.

However, if Sullivan and Hafley think differently, that’s fine.

I’m guessing they’re well aware that they’d be staking their reputations on Willis.

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