Dolphins head coach Jeff Halfley said Tuesday at the start of mandatory minicamp that Willis building a rapport with his new pass-catching corps is "a work in progress," David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.
When Willis signed his three-year, $67.5 million deal in March, Miami still had an established No. 1 receiver in Jaylen Waddle, who has since been traded to Denver. As a result, the Dolphins now enter the summer with a far less proven receiving corps headlined by Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and TE Greg Dulcich, while rookies Caleb Douglas (undisclosed), Chris Bell (ACL) and Kevin Coleman continue to compete for roles. Another factor in Willis' uneven start to OTAs and minicamp has been the absence of De'Von Achane (shoulder), arguably Miami's most dynamic pass catcher, as Achane has been limited to individual drills while recovering from an offseason procedure. OC Bobby Slowik suggested Thursday developing chemistry with the team's receivers will "probably be an ongoing process all the way up to the regular-season start." Much of Willis' fantasy appeal stems from his dual-threat ability, but it would still be encouraging to see the passing game gain traction once training camp begins in July.