Malik Willis’ injured reserve stint just made one conversation a whole lot simpler for the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins’ ongoing evaluation of Malik Willis just got more simple as 2026 season turns to the second half of the year.
When it rains, it pours. It’s pouring right now in South Florida. The 1-7 Miami Dolphins are off a tough loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 9 and just saw their standout defensive tackle, Zach Sieler, have his season ended by a biceps injury. Hours later? Quarterback Malik Willis joined him on injured reserve.
The news was broke by NFL insider Tom Pelissero and, although Willis’ injury is ‘not season-ending’, it does leave the Dolphins high and dry for the third quarter of this 2026 season. The 1-7 Miami Dolphins will play at least their next four games without their starting quarterback. Given that Willis is trying to earn the job long-term, it’s a tough blow in more ways than one.
It should remove much of the debate on how seriously Miami must approach the top of the 2027 quarterback class.
The Malik Willis injury makes the quarterback calculus this offseason more simple for the Miami Dolphins
I do believe Malik Willis has generally played better than many of the raw production numbers would indicate. And in Weeks 7 & 8, the production numbers looked to start matching that. Then the Detroit game happened. And Willis, who has been dealing with a groin injury, looked like a far cry from the athlete we know him to be. Fast forward 48 hours and Willis is on injured reserve. Tough.
But the Miami Dolphins are trying to determine whether or not Willis is ‘the guy’ long-term, too. The way Willis was best going to achieve that feat was by playing well and ascending throughout the course of the season. We’re going to miss a quarter of a season’s worth of starts (at least) for Willis thanks to this news.
Now, let’s look at the full picture. Willis is still under contract for two more seasons. Given the Dolphins’ lean cash commitments for 2027 and 2028, there’s no reason to say Miami hits eject. He can be a true asset in a quarterback room. But if you were hoping for a season from Willis that would remove the concern over the long-term outlook of the position? One that would create a feel that the unquestioned starter was in house? I do believe that outcome is off the table now.
We’ll get a fascinating opportunity to watch someone else try to operate this offense over the course of the next month. If second-year quarterback Kyle McCord comes in and plays well? Well, what a treat that would be. If McCord struggles to keep the offense moving or has lapses with turnovers? Things could get ugly for the Dolphins over the next four weeks.
Either way, all signs point to “primary need” for the quarterback position this offseason instead of “secondary need”. Willis offers the room a respectable floor of talent and, now, some starting NFL experience. But he hasn’t played at a high enough level (nor long enough) consistently to suck the air out of the debate. And if you have a question about if you need a long-term quarterback…you probably need a long-term quarterback.
I like Malik Willis. I think he can be a successful player. But this awful development is one that probably will push me into coveting a quarterback with the team’s top draft selection next spring. After all, Willis is only under contract for two more seasons — and only one of those years holds guarantees.
A bad investment?
If I feel that way, does that mean that Willis signing this March becomes a bad investment? No, not at all. Remember, the Dolphins have to meet a spending floor, just like every other NFL franchise. And, in a season where the Dolphins need to answer every big question under the sun, throwing below average starting quarterback money at a possible long-term answer at quarterback to ensure you can be positioned to hit the spending floor is a worthwhile cause.
As the roster levels up, that money will been needed for a concrete long-term starter and the rest of the roster. But not in 2026. Or 2027. Probably not in 2028, either.
All of Jon-Eric Sullivan’s lessons for his quarterback philosophy included some semblance of dual investment. Willis was their first swing. The odds suggested he was likely not going to be the last swing. And with the news of his injury and now an injured reserve stint, Miami should probably be thinking about taking their next swing proactively. Early. That is, of course, so long as the stars…or the draft board…aligns.
Miami Dolphins News