Overview
- The Dolphins signed Malik Willis to a three‑year deal worth about $67 million with roughly $45 million guaranteed, naming him the 2026 starter but leaving the team flexibility after that window.
- New general manager Jon‑Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley have overhauled the roster in a rebuild that included trading top receivers and thinning Miami’s supporting cast.
- Preseason evaluations and Pro Football Focus placed Miami near the bottom of power rankings and rated Willis among the lower‑tier starting quarterbacks entering 2026.
- Several high‑profile mock drafts, including Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo and Draft Wire’s Paul M. Banks, project the Dolphins could land the 2027 No. 1 pick and take Arch Manning, a forecast framed as speculative by analysts.
- If Miami does draft a quarterback at No. 1, the club could keep Willis as a backup, try to trade him, or release him before the 2028 season, which makes Willis’s on‑field performance and the 2026 results pivotal to his job security.