With Tua Tagovailoa expected to move on, the Miami Dolphins are left without a clear long-term answer under center. Whether it comes through the draft, free agency, or a trade, Miami will need to add another quarterback to the mix. That said, an insider has taken a firm stance, suggesting Malik Willis could address the Miami Dolphins’ ongoing quarterback issues.

“I’ve been a huge Tua Tagovailoa supporter, and I saw Tua at his height, in his prime,” ESPN’s Louis Riddick said on The Rich Eisen Show. “When Mike [McDaniel] first took over down there in Miami, and those two really hit it off from a personal perspective. And then when Jaden and Tyreek were both healthy, we saw what that offense could really look like when it was really clicking and how Tua could really play and the accuracy. He could throw the football with decision-making, timing, precision, and anticipation. I don’t know if those days are long gone.”

Quinn Ewers is currently the only realistic quarterback option on the roster, but the Dolphins can’t head into the 2026 season with him as their sole plan.

“I think Malik is probably the guy who, around the league right now, really gets people to kind of sit up in their chair and go,” Riddick added.

In two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Willis completed 78.7% of his passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns with zero interceptions. He rushed 42 times for 261 yards and three scores while posting a 3-1 record as a starter. One of those wins came against the Tennessee Titans, the very team that traded him for a seventh-round pick.

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Now, if the Dolphins want Willis, money complicates everything for them. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell placed Willis in the “Tier 4: Borderline starters/high-end backups” group and projected an annual salary of $20-$30 million. That number stings when Miami already owes Tagovailoa $52 million this season, which limits their flexibility.

Still, adding Willis as a calculated gamble makes sense for them. However, if his market truly climbs into the $20 to $30 million range, and with the Cleveland Browns also entering the race, the Dolphins may face stiff competition and a difficult financial decision.

The Browns are looking at Malik Willis as QB1

The Cleveland Browns will enter next season with Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel under contract. However, with Todd Monken stepping in as head coach, the Browns are not locking themselves into one path. Instead, the team continues to scan the market for a long-term answer at quarterback. That search has now led them to take a serious look at free agent Malik Willis.

Meanwhile, reporter Mary Kay Cabot revealed that this interest is not new. She explained that the Browns liked Willis during the 2022 NFL Draft and were even in a position to select him. Now, as free agency approaches, Cleveland plans to revisit that evaluation.

“On March 9, teams can make offers to prospective free agents and consummate those deals when the league year officially begins on March 11. Willis is arguably the top quarterback on the market, and the Browns will do their diligence and inquire about him.”

Looking at the Browns’ QB situation, Watson’s future remains uncertain, as he heads into the final year after three uneven seasons in Cleveland. He holds a 9-10 record as a starter, missed significant time due to suspension and injuries, and sat out all of last season while recovering from two Achilles surgeries. Therefore, his grip on the job feels far from secure.

On the other hand, Sanders and Gabriel have not seized the moment. Gabriel went 1-5 as a starter with 937 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions, yet he averaged just 5.1 yards per attempt and rarely pushed the ball downfield. Sanders posted a 3-4 record in seven starts and showed ability, but he did not fully separate himself.

So right now, it appears they do not want to head into 2026 with either young passer locked in as QB1. If that stance holds, they may soon see Willis become a real option for them.