MIAMI GARDENS ― About seven Miami Dolphins receivers took up quarterback Malik Willison an offer to do voluntary workouts in Jacksonville this summer.
"I'm just glad that they had a little time to spend and we can steal a couple reps before we get in the training camp," Willis said on the day training camp opened.
Four of the known receivers were Malik Washington, Greg Dulcich, Seydou Traore
and Cole Turner.What did Willis takeway from the extra work?
"Little things that you probably don't notice just looking around like who gets out there breaks faster, who I can throw to a little earlier than later, who likes it right on them or do they like it above their head?" Willis said. "I mean, just all those type of things that can help you be successful
as far as minimizing risk."
Willis was fine in the portions of the spring open to media. At times there were overthrows. And it was clear he was working to develop chemistry with new targets.
Willis, 28, is a first-time NFL starter. He has been asked to ease into a leadership role.
"I'm just trying to do whatever I can to earn that role every day," Willis said. "Put the work in, put the time in, and earn the respect from my teammates. I think that's what's most vital."
Miami Dolphins training camp focus on Malik Willis
Miami Dolphins QB Malik Willis is throwing with Malik Washington, Greg Dulcich, Seydou Traore and Cole Turner pic.twitter.com/hJrf84duKE
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) July 9, 2026
Willis is somewhat soft-spoken. How will he lead Miami in 2026?
"You have to understand people," Willis said. "Obviously, some people handle, they can handle being talked to a certain type of way and others can't. So you've got to talk to them a certain type of way. Or, nothing needs to be said because they already know what they messed up on and belittling them or just reiterating it might not be beneficial to help us, you know, succeed. I feel like it's just a time and place type thing."
Willis feels he's at a better place now with a new play book.
"Obviously we had to work through a couple kinks and figuring out just the terminology sort of thing," he said. "And that was easy to get through. Obviously, it just takes reps and continuous saying it and being in the huddle and actually going through it... I think I'm at a good place and we get to go out and camp, get more reps at it."
Miami coach Jeff Hafley believes Willis will take another step this summer.
"I think the key for Malik will be his confidence and his chemistry with those wide outs," Hafley said. "And we need to figure out exactly who those wide outs are and what the chemistry is gonna look like."
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins WRs accepted Malik Willis' invitation for offseason workouts
