Malik Willis has the talent to turn a Dolphins weak link into a huge strength

The Miami Dolphins haven't exactly left new quarterback Malik Willis flush with exceptional wide receivers, at least for this season. Nevertheless, Willis' skill set should elevate the entire offense, and the production of one particular wideout in slot specialist Malik Washington.

Willis has superior arm strength to his predecessor, Tua Tagovailoa. That alone should open up chances for Washington to earn downfield targets, which he seldom got while buried on the depth chart behind superstars like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle during the Mike McDaniel era.

But the more favorable outlook for Washington goes beyond Willis' mere raw throwing power. It's already revealing itself through their growing rapport at Dolphins training camp.

Willis is the key to unlocking Miami Dolphins WR Malik Washington's upside

New Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley went out of his way in a recent press conference to praise Malik Washington's route-running ability. Hafley dismissed the notion that Washington is a gimmicky gadget player who's only capable of handling bubble screens or access hitches.

Washington's development suffered behind the likes of Hill and Waddle after Miami selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 draft. The Hill-Waddle duo was such a focal point of Miami's passing attack that there weren't many other targets to go around.

Those more nuanced routes and explosive play opportunities didn't go to Washington. He was relegated to a niche, ineffective role.

And it didn't help that Tua was battling injuries and steadily regressing ever since Washington arrived in Miami. Hard to make the most of one's limited live reps when the QB is in and out of the lineup and his demeanor isn't the steadiest.

I'm personally guilty of looking at Washington's raw stats, box score scouting a bit, and saying, "Well, if he's only averaging 7.5 yards per catch on 72 receptions through two seasons, what hope is there?"

The answer lies in Willis, who symbolizes the fresh start this new regime is enthusiastically injecting into Dolphins football.

One underrated, exotic element Washington brings to the offense is his efficiency as a pure ball-carrier. The 25-year-old jitterbug has 22 carries for 135 yards and a TD to date in the NFL.

This suggests that Washington is indeed an explosive playmaker with a far higher ceiling than he might be given credit for due to his horrid production as a receiver.

In addition to having a rocket right arm that forces opponents to guard every blade of grass, Willis is an elite running quarterback. Not only should Willis' unique athleticism open up lanes for potential All-Pro tailback De'Von Achane, but Miami offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik can get creative with neat wrinkles to the running game — and possibly free up Washington for even bigger plays in the process.

So you see, Willis could very well help Washington pop as a runner and as a receiver. There's little elsewhere to go but up from Washington's to-date pass-catching futility, to be fair. But it'll certainly help to have a QB who's playing with more confidence than Tua, and the freedom to (it's assumed to this point) garner far more targets as part of Miami's relative no-name wide receiver room.

That Malik-to-Malik ESP does indeed seem alive and well at Dolphins camp.

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