Malik Willis Dolphins Contract: $67.5M Deal Makes Him Miami's New Starting QB
Malik Willis is officially heading to South Beach. The Miami Dolphins signed the 26-year-old quarterback to a three-year, $67.5 million deal on Monday, March 9 — just hours after releasing Tua Tagovailoa in one of the most dramatic single-day quarterback overhauls in NFL history.
Malik Willis Dolphins Contract Breakdown: $45 Million Guaranteed
Willis is signing a three-year, $67.5 million contract that includes $45 million fully guaranteed. The deal includes a $22.5 million signing bonus, $1.25 million fully guaranteed in 2026, and $21.5 million fully guaranteed in 2027.
Willis carries an average annual value of $22.5 million — significantly less than the $30 million per year most analysts projected heading into free agency. Getting him at that price is widely considered a massive win for the Dolphins, who are already carrying roughly $99 million in dead cap money from Tua Tagovailoa's release.
The full year-by-year structure breaks down as follows: a $22.25 million signing bonus, a $1.25 million base salary for 2026 fully guaranteed, a $21.5 million base for 2027 fully guaranteed, a $2 million roster bonus due March 2028, and a $20.5 million base for 2028.
Why Miami Chose Malik Willis to Replace Tua Tagovailoa
New Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan both came from the Green Bay Packers organization — where Willis spent the last two seasons backing up Jordan Love. Defensive coordinator Sean Duggan and passing game coordinator Ryan Downard also arrived from Green Bay, creating immediate familiarity between Miami's new regime and its new starting quarterback.
Willis put his name back on the map last season while filling in for an injured Love. Across parts of four games, he completed 30 of 35 passes for three touchdowns and zero interceptions, posting a passer rating of 145.5 and a QBR of 93.1. He also rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Willis was considered a highly touted draft prospect entering the 2022 NFL Draft but fell to the third round, landing with the Tennessee Titans. Over four years with two franchises, he has played in 22 games but started only six of them — heading to Miami with a 3-3 record as a starter.
Malik Willis Career Numbers Make the Dolphins Bet High-Risk, High-Reward
In 11 total games as a Packer across two seasons, Willis completed nearly 79% of his passes for 972 yards on just 89 attempts — throwing six touchdowns with zero interceptions, posting a 134.6 passer rating and a 77.3 QBR. He was 2-1 as a starting quarterback in Green Bay.
The small sample size is the central question surrounding Willis. His Dolphins deal makes him the answer for a franchise that is absorbing enormous financial pain from the Tagovailoa split and cannot afford to guess wrong at quarterback two consecutive offseasons.
Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will be critical in designing a scheme that maximizes Willis's dual-threat ability while protecting him from the kinds of complex defensive looks that exposed him earlier in his career with Tennessee.
Tua Tagovailoa Already Has a New Home as Malik Willis Arrives
In a remarkable twist, Tua Tagovailoa agreed to a one-year, minimum deal with the Atlanta Falcons on the same afternoon Willis signed with Miami — meaning both quarterback moves were resolved within hours of each other on the first day of the 2026 NFL free agency period.
The Malik Willis era in Miami officially begins Wednesday, March 11, when the new league year opens at 4:00 p.m. ET and all contracts across the NFL become official.
