MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis uncorked a ball over the middle of the field during team drills at the team's mandatory minicamp, threading the needle between two defenders for a 40-yard touchdown pass.
It was Willis' longest completion of any open Dolphins practice and reminiscent of the explosive plays Dolphins fans grew accustomed to seeing over the past four years. Except this time, the ball didn't go to a speedy wide receiver -- or any wide receiver, at all.
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It went instead to a tight end: Ben Sims.
"He's a stud. He can rip the ball. Sees the field great. Obviously, he's mobile, but he's got great pocket presence as well," tight end Greg Dulcich said of Willis. "That (touchdown pass to Sims) was exactly what I was talking about. Great vision. Ben had a great heads-up play, got his head around, Malik saw it, put it on him and yeah, it was sweet."
The Dolphins have seen Willis' arm strength and skill set on display during spring practices, but they're still waiting on his chemistry with his wide receivers to blossom.
Willis signed with Miami as a free agent this offseason, and other than some limited crossover with center Aaron Brewer when both players played for the Tennessee Titans, he's acclimating to a completely new group of teammates while he prepares to stake his claim as the Dolphins' next franchise quarterback.
Coaches and players both admit the relationships between Willis and his pass catchers is still growing. But first-year coach Jeff Hafley isn't concerned -- this time of the year is all about building chemistry.
"I think it's a work in progress. We've had six practices with limited reps, so I just think it's going to take time," Hafley said on June 2. "I think it's improved. It's going to be a work in progress and it's going to take a lot of reps, just like it would with any new quarterback and new wide receiver group, and then you add in we've got a lot of young wideouts that just came in."
Willis, middle, is still developing rapport with his receiving corps. AP Photo/Lynne Sladky The Dolphins released former All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill this February before trading Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos in March, leaving their receivers room both thin and lacking star power. They signed Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell in free agency, and drafted Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell to infuse youth and competition into the position group, but nobody emerged as the No. 1 receiver during OTAs or minicamp.