New Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley may not be able to poach everyone he wants from the Green Bay Packers this offseason. Though Hafley successfully brought over several ex-Packers coaches, he'll have a tougher time in swaying players in free agency given how much competition there will be.
Quarterback Malik Willis is one name many think Hafley has circled to begin his stint in Miami. Given the familiarity, the Dolphins' need for better QB play, and the fact Jon Eric-Sullivan is now the team's GM after coming over from Green Bay, there's plenty of reason why this pairing makes sense on paper.
However, recent developments may be tipping in the scales in a different direction for Willis.
Cardinals May Now Be Biggest Threat to Steal Malik Willis from Packers
After Willis thrived in Matt LaFleur's offense with the Packers, the most logical move would be to join a similar system.
Matt's brother, Mike LaFleur, is now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. The brothers both worked for Sean McVay on the Los Angeles Rams, so there's shared concepts between the both of them that will likely appeal to Willis.
There's also a major requirement for the Cardinals to contend for a playoff spot as Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort enters the last year of his contract. That need isn't as pressing in Miami, considering veterans Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb were both just released, signaling the start of a rebuild with a new regime now taking over.
The NFL Daily Podcast's Gregg Rosenthal strongly endorsed the Cards pursuing Willis, saying, "Monti Ossenfort can’t have that much time left in Arizona. Betting it all on Malik Willis is the way to go."
Willis's next payday could be a substantial one. Truth be told, Ossenfort could dole that out and still fail, but it wouldn't incur any issues for him, even if he is fired. Willis's deal will be someone else's problem, but at least he would've tried for a possible home run.
Ossenfort simply can't afford to be a lame duck. If he makes a non-splashy signing or drafts a non-Fernando Mendoza quarterback, the odds of him losing his job, all while operating with a much shorter leash into the season, increase exponentially.
Further complicating the possible Willis-Hafley dream, NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports that Jimmy Garoppolo is also on Miami's radar. Given the likely sizable gap in what Willis would be asking for and what Jimmy G would be expecting, the Dolphins are a better fit for the latter.
With Garropolo, there wouldn't be much of an expectation, though he's proven that he can make something out of nothing throughout his career. He'd fit the "bridge QB" mold especially well, allowing Miami to wait until a better draft class in 2027 to address the most important position in the sport.
Willis needs to be in a situation where he can thrive and not be expected to change every fortune immediately. The Cardinals have Nathaniel Hackett calling plays, which is a major positive for a dual-threat like Willis. With Arizona's weapons, Jacoby Brissett had a strong season in 2025. The ingredients exist in the desert to make it work.
The same cannot be said about Miami, even with Hafley being a familiar face in South Florida.