When Malik Willis signed with the Miami Dolphins this offseason, it gave him his first real opportunity to be a starting quarterback full-time since he was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2022.
But it’s also a different Dolphins team than the one he joined back in March. Willis signed with Miami on March 9. Just over a week later, the Dolphins traded their No. 1 receiver, Jaylen Waddle, to the Denver Broncos.
Not having Waddle changes the Dolphins’ offensive dynamic significantly. Willis said he’d have loved to have Waddle to throw to but that the decision to trade him wasn’t his to make.
“It was unfortunate, for sure, to say the least,” Willis said Tuesday from Dolphins organized team activities. “That's a really good player and I would have loved to play with him, but that's above my pay grade, brother. Out of my hands."
Waddle caught 64 passes for 910 yards in 2025 -- which was nearly double the next-highest receiving total on the Dolphins roster last season. With Waddle, Tyreek Hill and others gone from last year’s team, the Dolphins' leading returning receiver among wideouts is Malik Washington, who totaled 46 catches for 317 yards and three touchdowns.
Miami’s front office was aggressive in populating the depth chart with WRs, although it remains to be seen who the leaders of the group will be. The Dolphins signed Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and Terrace Marshall Jr. in free agency and also drafted three more wideouts -- third-rounders Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell, plus fifth-rounder Kevin Coleman Jr. The Bell pick came directly via Denver in the Waddle trade.
Holdovers Tahj Washington and Theo Wease Jr. are also in the mix, but none of the Dolphins’ current wide receivers have had a Waddle-like season in the NFL. This is still an offense that’s expected to be built around De’Von Achane and the run game, but figuring out which candidates can help fill Waddle’s shoes will be a primary objective for the Dolphins and Willis this offseason.