The Miami Dolphins' new leadership appears poised to move on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, with strong indications the franchise will target free-agent quarterback Malik Willis as its potential starter for the 2026 season.

The signals emerged clearly in a recent interview with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, who conspicuously omitted Tagovailoa when detailing the team's foundational players. Sullivan, who spent 22 years with the Green Bay Packers, spoke instead of building "from the inside out," starting with the quarterback.

Tagovailoa’s future in Miami became uncertain after former head coach Mike McDaniel benched him late last season following a league-high 15 interceptions. The hiring of Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as head coach further pointed toward a fresh start, with multiple league sources telling Yahoo Sports the Dolphins are expected to strongly consider Willis—a player both Sullivan and Hafley know intimately from their time in Green Bay.

Willis, 25, showed promise in limited action last season, completing 85.7% of his passes for 422 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions while adding 123 rushing yards and two scores. The 2022 third-round pick is viewed as a prime free-agent target for teams seeking a starting quarterback with upside.

“I think Malik is on most people’s radar as a starting QB target in free agency, including them,” one NFC talent evaluator said.

While cutting Tagovailoa this offseason would incur a massive $99.2 million dead cap hit, the precedent set by Denver's release of Russell Wilson shows such moves are possible. With the 11th pick in a draft considered weak at quarterback, pursuing Willis in free agency could offer the new regime a known commodity to bridge their transition.