We’ll Find Out what Malik Willis is made of Quickly
For any team that is breaking in a new quarterback, it is ideal to have a few games against teams that are not expected to be playoff-bound as a warm-up and to get everyone on the same page.
That is not the case for the 2026 Dolphins and new quarterback, Malik Willis.
While they open on the road against a young team in the Las Vegas Raiders, who have plenty of questions of their own, the next three games to begin the season are littered with teams with vast playoff experience.
In week two, they travel to San Francisco before welcoming in perennial AFC Title contender, the Kansas City Chiefs, for the home opener at Hard Rock Stadium.
They then head back on the road to Minnesota to face the Vikings, who are led by former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who should have his defense playing at a high level.
Thankfully for Willis, he does have some familiarity with the Vikings, as they were also in the NFC North when he was with the Packers, while the 49ers visited Lambeau Field just a few years ago.
With the number of times that the Chiefs have been in title contention, Willis should have plenty of tape to choose from to see how Steve Spagnuolo runs that defense.
All that familiarity is great for Willis.
So were the last couple of weeks that Willis had the chance to play at the end of the regular season when Jordan Love was hurt, and Willis was able to show out.
Yet, this is a new season, and now that Willis is entrenched as the full-time starter and a potential franchise quarterback, the NFL world will not be caught off guard about how to prepare for him.
And with his contract that he signed in Miami, it will be sink or swim for the former Liberty quarterback.
Unfortunately, three of the first four games are against teams with conference title aspirations.
Miami, unlike those teams, does not have the same expectations.
It will be up to Willis in the first quarter of the season to deliver because he is facing a tough gauntlet with not much support around him.
Whether they win or lose, we will learn a lot about Willis as we head into mid-October.
