Analyst claims Dolphins playing with fire thanks to $65.7 million signing

The Miami Dolphins were always going to be a fascinating watch as free agency began, largely due to Tua Tagovailoa's situation.

Plus, what the Dolphins would do at the quarterback position.

Well, they moved on from Tua, eating nearly $100 million in dead money, and then handed out a three-year, $67.5 million deal to unproven quarterback Malik Willis.

And for NFL.com's Matt Okada, the move is a rather risky one.

"If Miami can unlock Willis as the next dual-threat star, this will be a massive steal," Okada wrote. "But if he ends up walking the Justin Fields road, this will be a big miss and the team will be looking for a QB again in a year or two."

More: Chiefs lauded over $45 million free agency signing

Willis a risk worth taking?

Well, the Dolphins had to do something, given they were out on Tua, even if it meant eating all of that dead money.

As for Willis, he comes to Miami as an unproven starter on what you could say is good-enough money, but the Dolphins will be praying he doesn't go down the Justin Fields road, as Okada put it.

That would put the franchise in a bind, as it is already paying Tua; if Willis crashes and burns, the organization will have to go back to the QB well again.

For now, Willis gets the benefit of the doubt based on what he did in Green Bay, but being a backup and a starter are two completely different things.

Yes, Miami is taking a risk, but for the franchise, it's one worth taking.

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