{"id":298952,"date":"2026-06-07T05:41:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T05:41:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/298952\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T05:41:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T05:41:29","slug":"quinn-ewers-and-malik-willis-should-be-competing-to-start-at-qb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/298952\/","title":{"rendered":"Quinn Ewers and Malik Willis should be competing to start at QB"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a popular saying in the church community that goes \u201cfavor isn\u2019t fair.\u201d<\/p>\n

It refers to God creating blessing, and opening doors for his believers, showing the faithful favoritism.<\/p>\n

But the saying can also apply in the traditional sense, explaining that favoritism, and biases, are a part of life, society, business and sport, and everyone must find a way to play the hand they are dealt.<\/p>\n

Quinn Ewers is doing just that with the Miami Dolphins, which started him for the final three games of the 2025 season as Tua Tagovailoa\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n

Instead of doubling down on the investment placed into Ewers, the Dolphins signed Malik Willis, a career backup with six NFL starts, to a three-year, $67.5 million deal, which features $45 million in guaranteed money, and has had him entrenched into the starting role for his new team all offseason.<\/p>\n

Willis was handpicked by new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, who each worked with him in Green Bay, so he\u2019s being given every opportunity to cement himself into the starting role.<\/p>\n

That means Ewers, a 2025 seventh-round pick, is fighting an uphill battle to even the playing field, no matter how impressive he has looked in organized team activities and Miami\u2019s minicamp practices, which will wrap up next week.<\/p>\n

And for the record, Ewers\u2019 game has shown significant growth.<\/p>\n

There are some days he has outperformed Willis in the sessions the media has watched.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last three days you\u2019ve seen Quinn take the next step of, \u2018I\u2019m owning what this is right now. Let me take advantage of what I already know. Let me play what I see, and play with convicted,\u201d offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said, succinctly describing Ewers\u2019 quick trigger and bold throws, which is what had made his performances stand out this offseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would ask him to do the same thing as we keep going through camp. Play disciplined. Stick to the fundamentals as often as we can, and then react to what we see,\u201d Slowik continued. \u201cA lot of times when he just goes and plays and reacts, he does a lot of good stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019re talking about throws that are out his hand before receivers make their break, and passes placed between two defenders, threading the needle.<\/p>\n

So far Ewers looks like a quarterback who is taking the next step, and a contributing factor to that is that there\u2019s carryover between the offense he learned last season under Mike McDaniel and the one Slowik is installing since they come from the same west coast offensive tree.<\/p>\n

While the terminology isn\u2019t identical, and plenty of the concepts are different, Ewers admits he has a solid grasp on the foundation, and that has allowed him to make quicker decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not swimming anymore so that\u2019s nice. We\u2019re finally able to tread water a little bit,\u201d said Ewers, who won one of the three games he started, throwing for 622 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. \u201cI get a full NFL offseason to hone in on some of the smaller details. I don\u2019t have to worry so much about learning each and every play because I feel comfortable enough now that I know I can focus on other things, like keys and tells from the defense. I feel like my game is really starting to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n

From Ewers\u2019 standpoint, he\u2019s getting himself ready for when opportunity \u2014 whether through injury, coaches decision, or lackluster play from Willis \u2014 presents itself.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the role of a backup quarterback, and one Ewers, who held off Arch Manning when the two highly touted high school quarterbacks were at the University of Texas together, is forced to accept.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want Quinn to continue to get better and battle and compete, and do everything he can to show us that he\u2019s the best quarterback on the field,\u201d Hafley said. \u201cI want everybody at every position to do that. Quinn\u2019s done a nice job. He\u2019s got familiarity with some of the schemes, and I think he\u2019s gotten better.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s smart,\u201d Hafley continued. \u201cJust standing back there from a defensive perspective, he knows where to go with the football. He gets rid of it on time. He sees the defenses really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

But will he be given a chance to challenge Willis for the starting role in 2026?<\/p>\n

The odds, and finances committed to Willis, definitely aren\u2019t in Ewers\u2019 favor.<\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 3:40 PM.<\/p>\n


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