Willis to Dolphins: QB Carousel Spins in NFL Free Agency

Willis Lands in Miami, Daniel Jones’ Future Uncertain Amidst QB Frenzy

The NFL free agency period is in full swing, and the quarterback carousel is spinning faster than ever. In a move that has sparked considerable discussion, Malik Willis has signed with the Miami Dolphins. This signing, while not necessarily the splashiest, raises questions about the best available options for teams and potential fits for quarterbacks looking to prove themselves.

Dominique Foxworth, on his eponymous show, discussed the implications of Willis’ move. “We were so excited about NFL players getting paid large sums of money,” Foxworth quipped, highlighting the annual excitement around free agency. He elaborated on his personal enjoyment of seeing athletes compensated, stating, “Anytime anybody can get paid, well, athletes, athletes get paid makes me really happy. I mean, anybody who’s not who doesn’t own a football team, I love anybody who’s not in the tax bracket of being able to own a multi-billion dollar franchise. When they get the money, it makes me so happy. Nobody’s ever overpaid. They’re all underpaid still.”

Malik Willis’ New Home: Miami Dolphins

The conversation quickly turned to quarterback moves, with Willis’ signing with the Dolphins taking center stage. Foxworth posited, “I’m going to start with Malik Willis to the Dolphins who is the best quarterback who signed by the time we recorded that this episode above Tua above the Daniel Jones back to the Colt speculation.” While acknowledging that other high-profile quarterbacks like Kyler Murray might be on the move, the focus remained on the tangible moves made.

The fit for Willis in Miami is complex. He joins a team with a new organizational direction under Jeff Hafley and a new GM, bringing in Bobby Slowik, who carries “Shanahan DNA.” The hope is that Slowik can leverage Willis’ explosive running ability, combined with running back Devin Singletary, to create a potent ground game. However, doubts linger about Willis’ overall efficacy as a passer.

“Yeah, I mean, I guess the problem is I’m not sure how good Willis is,” Foxworth admitted. “This isn’t the best option out there, but of the available options, it seems like he’s going to have a legitimate like chance to prove himself.” The Dolphins, burdened by significant dead cap money from Tua Tagovailoa’s contract, are in a rebuilding phase with lower expectations. This environment might offer Willis a chance to develop without immense pressure, but the support system he might have enjoyed elsewhere, or even in his previous stints, may not be as robust.

The contract itself, reported as three years for $67 million, with some suggesting potential for over $30 million annually, is seen as a significant investment for a player with a limited track record. “This is sort of best case scenario for them three years $67 million like there were reports that he was going to go over $30 million a year APY,” noted the show’s co-host.

Despite the reservations, there’s an undeniable allure to the potential explosiveness. “They’re going to be really fun. Like they might just be a red zone team. Or he might suck,” the co-host mused. “If he plays well in this situation, if the offense has some explosivity, it’s kind of historic that this dude looked like he was on his way out of the NFL.” Next Gen Stats revealed Willis had a plus-38 EPA per dropback across 24 and 25 dropbacks (minimum 100 dropbacks), the most in the NFL, highlighting his flashes of brilliance.

However, concerns about the offensive coaching staff persist. “We’re not sure that that Bobby Sloic is a good offensive coordinator. I know we say Shanahan and it we can associate it feels like Shanahan is like a high school diploma at this point where it’s like everyone has some connection to Shan.” The co-host pointed out that Slowik was fired a year after being a head coaching candidate, and the Texas offense under his watch did not improve.

The overall assessment of the Dolphins’ situation for Willis is cautious optimism mixed with significant doubt. “The more I examine this situation, it might be the best that you’re going to get if you only have a small sample size like Malik Willis, but it ain’t great.”

Daniel Jones and the Colts: A Baffling Situation

The discussion then shifted to the confounding situation surrounding Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts. The initial expectation was a team-friendly deal, perhaps akin to Sam Darnold’s contract. However, reports suggest Jones is seeking upwards of $50 million per year, a figure that has left many bewildered, especially given his injury history.

“The Colts thing is is is baffling to me,” Foxworth stated unequivocally. “We basically mean we thought that Daniel Jones was going to be on a deal similar to the Sam Darnold deal, which was is like relatively team friendly, but now it seems like he wants like $50 million a year.” Jones’ injury ledger includes a torn ACL, a neck injury, a broken leg, and an Achilles tear last season.

The potential fit with Head Coach Shane Steichen, who has a track record of maximizing mobile quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts, adds another layer of complexity. “Knowing how how Shane Stiken was able to like accentuate the best parts of Jaylen Herz, not that he’s a onetoone comparison with Malik Willis, but he’s been able to use mobile quarterbacks really well. That’s if you’re going to pay Daniel Jones that, that’s an insane thing to do to assume that Daniel Jones, who was kind of getting bad by the time he even got hurt at the end of last year, would be worth that money and that that’s a good bet cuz he gets hurt every single year. That doesn’t that seem nuts?”

Beyond the injury concerns, the assessment of Jones’ on-field performance is equally critical. “All that stuff aside, I still don’t like think that Daniel Jones played in a way that we could isolate and say he was worth that money.” The emergence of a new quarterback tier, distinct from the traditional mid-tier, is noted. Sam Darnold’s previous contract may have inadvertently set a precedent for players like Jones to command higher salaries.

The perceived desperation of Colts GM Chris Ballard is cited as a potential driver for this situation. “It’s not because I think Ballard is dumb, which maybe he is. It’s because he’s desperate.” The need to demonstrate success, perhaps to save his job, could lead to drastic measures. “It’s using your last dollars on lottery tickets,” one analyst described the strategy.

Adding to the Colts’ quarterback room is the signing of Alec Pierce, who re-signed for $116 million. Pierce, once considered a deep threat, is now being discussed as a more complete receiver. However, even this move is viewed through the lens of the quarterback uncertainty. “The offensive line has issues, the defense has issues, and like we started with the offensive coordinator, you have a first-time head coach. Offensive coordinator is unproven.” The argument is made that Pierce’s value might be maximized with better quarterback play, but the current situation offers no clear answer.

Atlanta Falcons’ Quarterback Conundrum

The Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback situation remains a source of bewilderment. After signing Kirk Cousins to a significant deal coming off an Achilles injury, they immediately drafted Michael Penix Jr., who has a history of significant injuries. Now, they’ve added Tua Tagovailoa on a one-year deal for minimal cost due to offset language.

The combination of Penix Jr. and Tagovailoa presents a peculiar quarterback room. “If you combine the passing charts of Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., you have a full quarterback,” one analyst observed. Penix Jr. excels at driving the ball outside the numbers and downfield, while Tua prefers dinking and dunking over the middle and quick releases. “None of them are healthy or really good health bets.”

The decision-making process has been questioned, particularly the acquisition of another injury-prone quarterback in Tua when Penix Jr. already carries similar risks. “The only thing that makes sense is like we want two left-handed quarterbacks,” one co-host sarcastically suggested.

The Falcons boast significant offensive talent with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. However, the quarterback situation continues to be a roadblock. “It doesn’t make sense, man. I I I’ve tried to figure out a way to make this defensible, but it’s not really defensible.” The move is seen as kicking the can down the road, with no clear solution in sight.

Kansas City Chiefs Bolster Backfield, Seahawks Re-sign Shahed

In Kansas City, the Chiefs have signed running back Kenneth Walker to a three-year, $43 million deal. This move addresses a perceived “explosiveness problem” in their offense, particularly in the run game, where they’ve had historically low explosive runs in recent seasons.

However, the analysts are skeptical that Walker alone will solve the Chiefs’ broader explosiveness issues, which have also been linked to their short-passing game and receiver play. “I don’t think Kenneth Walker solves that problem. I think Kenneth Walker will be really good there and especially when they get Mahomes back, he’ll be really good there. But I still think that the answer has to be on the outside to improve the explosiveness.” The team’s defensive outlook and the timeline for Patrick Mahomes’ return also remain key questions.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have prioritized re-signing wide receiver Rashid Shahed over running back Kenneth Walker, a decision that seems like a one-for-one swap. “I think it’s going to be easier to replace that position than it is and it’s going to be cheaper to replace that position and easier to replace that position.” While Walker’s explosiveness as a runner is acknowledged, the impact of Shahed as a deep threat and special teams playmaker is deemed more critical to the Seahawks’ offensive identity and overall success.

“The pass game specifically is because all the attention was elsewhere. And we saw that those two guys can run similar routes and challenge in the same way. In particular, like the speedos and crossing routes, it was pretty obvious who they were going to before that changed. And I think that changed the offense and it’s more important to have that threat than it is to bring back the Super Bowl MVP as crazy as that sounds.” The ability of Shahed to flip games, both on offense and special teams, made him the priority for Seattle.

Source: NFL free agency: Breaking down every big move so far | The Domonique Foxworth Show (YouTube)