Dolphins just threw Malik Willis under the bus with Jaylen Waddle trade

The Miami Dolphins have been anything but dormant this offseason. Whether it's letting go of high-profile veterans or bringing in a bunch of guys on low-risk, one-year deals, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and company are making some changes.

On Tuesday, the Dolphins continued their offseason moves by trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster deal. The compensation in return for Miami makes sense from a business perspective. To net a first-rounder and more for Waddle to help rebuild the organization should go a long way to the long-term outlook of the team.

But what about in the short term? Who does quarterback Malik Willis have to depend on now, as far as pass catchers go, for the 2026 season? As it currently stands...not much.

Jaylen Waddle trade to Denver leaves little for Miami Dolphins QB Malik Willis to work with

The Dolphins' brass wanted Willis this offseason because of his affiliation with head coach Jeff Hafley in their time together in Green Bay. Willis strongly endorses Miami's new regime and believes in what they can build here in South Florida.

However, the trading of Waddle doesn't do well for Willis' stock initially as the Dolphins' new franchise QB. With Waddle now gone and Tyreek Hill's release over a month ago, Miami's WR unit is now full of players who would be on or off the bubble for most NFL teams during final roster cuts.

Of those listed, Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert just got here last week on one-year contracts. Their deals were essentially prove-it-type contracts to not only make the team, but also make considerable impacts in hopes of bigger contracts in 2027. Now, as it stands, it looks like Atwell and Tolbert may be fighting it out for WR1 in Miami.

Terrace Marshall Jr., a former second-round pick, was signed by the Dolphins just ahead of the Super Bowl. Malik Washington and Tahj Washington were both drafted by Miami in 2024 in Rounds 6 and 7, respectively. Based on experience with the team, Malik could be considered the Dolphins' No. 1 option at the moment, but he is best suited as a No. 4 or No. 5 type guy. Both Theo Wease and A.J. Henning were undrafted free agents signed by Miami in 2025.

The cupboards are bare at the moment for Willis. But while it's not a good look for his fantasy outlook initially, Sullivan and Hafley will ultimately provide the tools and resources for Willis to succeed down the road.

Losing Waddle hurts to see, but the Dolphins cannot be faulted for trading him based on the assets they received. Wide receiver was already a need for Miami before trading Waddle, and it just became an even greater necessity now. They'll certainly look to add one or two in the draft, and with two first-round picks, could opt to pull the trigger on Day 1.

Sullivan has been adamant about wanting to add draft capital, and this deal for Waddle has given him some much-needed ammunition. One has to believe he'll use a good portion of it to help out his new franchise quarterback.