It's been hard to find many in the media who have much nice to say about the Miami Dolphins ahead of the 2026 season. To be fair, it's not without good reason. After an offseason full of high-profile departures under new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, the roster isn't exactly built to contend for much of anything this season.
Their most expensive addition by a mile is new starting quarterback Malik Willis, who signed a three-year, $67.5 million deal to join Miami after starring in spot-duty for the Packers over the last two seasons. What Willis lacks in proven experience, he makes up for with a tantalizing combination of impressive arm talent and explosive athleticism at the position.
Still, many are doubting his ability to play well in 2026, mostly due to the poor infrastructure around him. In a recent article by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report, Willis was predicted to be the Dolphins' biggest bust, but the logic behind it makes the choice a hard one to defend.
Malik Willis being labeled a potential bust for the Miami Dolphins makes little sense
Moton's reasoning for why Willis could be Miami's biggest bust is similar to every other criticism of the move to add him, and that's why I disagree with the idea entirely.
"Malik Willis isn't set up to flourish on a rebuilding squad with arguably the league's worst pass-catching group," Moton said. "The Miami Dolphins are heading into training camp with Jalen Tolbert, Malik Washington and Tutu Atwell as their top three wideouts. None of the aforementioned receivers has caught more than 49 passes in a season."
I don't think you would be able to find many realistic Dolphins fans who disagree with anything Moton said there, but that's the problem: How can Willis be considered a bust if he is being placed in such an uncertain situation? Sure, he is making a sizable salary over the next three years, but it's not even half the going rate for an established starting QB in the NFL (looking at you, Daniel Jones).
If Willis does fail to elevate this rag-tag group of rookies and lackluster veterans, would it be a shock to even the Dolphins themselves? Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley would never say it publicly, but even they can't expect the young QB to win consistently with this version of the roster.
The hope is that Willis shows enough to make drafting a QB in 2027 an option, not a necessity. What that ultimately looks like is anyone's guess, but I think he would have to be one of the worst starters in the NFL to be considered a "bust". Meanwhile, players like Kenneth Grant, Chop Robinson, and Jonah Savaiinaea all have plenty of questions about their future and need big seasons to keep their starting roles.
No offense to Moton's choice, but I think labeling Willis as a bust candidate misses the mark.
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