MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins have made it clear that quarterback Malik Willis was not blindsided by the decision to trade Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
No, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan gave Willis the heads up.
That doesn’t mean Willis was thrilled about it, of course.
“It was unfortunate, for sure, to say the least,” Willis said after an OTA practice on Tuesday, May 19. “That’s a really good player and I would have loved to play with him, but I don’t know. That’s above my pay grade, brother.”
The Dolphins picked up first, third and fourth-round picks from Denver.
Miami used the picks for cornerback Chris Johnson, wide receiver Chris Bell and linebacker/edge Trey Moore.
Bell has outstanding potential but it currently working his way back from a knee injury that ended his final season at Louisville.
“I mean, look at his tape, it’s insane,” Willis said of Bell. “But I’ve just got to get them back healthy and we can take it one day at a time.”
Willis seemed to perform fine in the no-pads practice open to media. It was a largely unremarkable event.
Before practice, coach Jeff Hafley said he told Willis not to “overdo the whole leadership thing.”
“My main focus for him right now is to learn, learn the scheme, get to know the players,” Hafley said.
Willis agreed, adding leadership is earned, not given.
“I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and do what I can to put the work in and try to hold others accountable as well as let them hold me accountable,” Willis said.
Willis has dined with Dolphins offensive linemen. Picking up the tab on a price-fix menu?
“It’s get what you want,” Willis said. “We’re all in this together. You’ve got to make sure they’re fed so they can go maul people.”
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: Miami Dolphins QB Malik Willis on Jaylen Waddle trade: ‘Unfortunate.’
Reporting by Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
