For Miami Dolphins fans, the sound of a broken record is one of the worst sounds they can hear, but that record is indeed still broken despite another attempt at fixing it.
Quarterback is still an issue for the Dolphins. Malik Willis isn't the franchise QB that fans hoped he would become. Jeff Hafley can talk about how he is "technically" still in his rookie season, given his number of starts. Rookies have looked better.
On Sunday against the Lions, Willis showed once again that as a passer, he is limited, and that should be everything Jon-Eric Sullivan needs to see to draft a QB next year.
Miami Dolphins need to invest a high draft pick in a franchise quarterback prospect
It was clear in Week 9 that Willis was banged up. He wasn't running at full speed and was slowing down long before reaching the sideline. That does not excuse poor decision-making with the football.
Following the game, Willis was asked about his groin injury. He made no excuses, but he kept his answer short.
"Yeah, it was tight."Malik Willis
It was definitely part of his problem on Sunday, but it can't excuse his poor decision-making.
While he hit rookie Kevin Coleman on a deep reception that was called back by a penalty and avoided sacks in the pocket, Willis is limited by his inability to read defenses. He is still missing open receivers, often not seeing them or looking in their direction at all.
Some of that could be due to the pressure, but Willis just doesn't pass the eyeball test.
This is not to say he can't develop further; he can. The Dolphins, however, can't afford to wait to see what level he can achieve. The Dolphins need to find someone they can groom for the future without a need to start them immediately.
Willis is a great backup option for any NFL team, but relying on him week to week isn't going to be good enough to compete consistently.
The QB is good enough when he isn't asked to do too much. Plays within 10 yards are typically easy completions, provided he doesn't have to look beyond one or two receivers. Again, there is room for improvement.
Through most of the season, Willis' decision-making was slow, and that has improved. He has become far more deliberate with his first- and second-read passes, but he is still relying on those receivers instead of using his vision of the entire field. In Week 9, Willis did, however, miss an open Ollie Gordon II on what could have been a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
The truth is, we can't blame the WR room. They are getting open and are giving Willis opportunities. The run game has taken pressure off the pocket, and the offensive line is playing better despite the problems with Austin Jackson on the right side.
The Dolphins have a lot of maturing to do, especially on offense, and Willis is a big part of that, but he isn't the future.
Add us as a preferred source on Google