Quarterback Malik Willis Will Have a Robust Market This Offseason
Nobody really knows what’s going to happen with Malik Willis this offseason. But if you’re a quarterback-needy team hoping to snag him on the cheap? You might want to sit down for this.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport dropped a financial bombshell during the NFL Daily podcast that had even his co-host Gregg Rosenthal doing a double-take. When discussing what Willis might command on the open market, Rapoport threw out a number that made everyone’s eyes widen: somewhere between $30 million and $35 million per year.
To put that in perspective, we’re talking about a guy who’s made just a handful of starts in his NFL career, potentially earning Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold money. Where will Willis end up?
The Willis Factor: Why Teams Are Willing To Pay Big
Here’s the thing about Willis—when he’s played, he’s been electric. The former Liberty standout and third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans struggled initially in Nashville, completing just 31 of 61 passes with 0 touchdowns and 3 picks during his rookie campaign in 2022. Not exactly the stuff of legend.
But then Green Bay traded for him in 2023, giving up just a seventh-round pick. And that’s when things got interesting. When Jordan Love went down with injuries, Willis stepped up in ways that frankly shocked a lot of people. During Weeks 2 and 3 of the 2024 season, he completed 25 of 33 passes for 324 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 114 rushing yards and another score on the ground. The kid can move, and he can sling it.
His most impressive performance? A demolition job against the Baltimore Ravens in 2025. Willis went 18-of-21 for 288 yards and a touchdown through the air, then added 60 rushing yards and 2 more scores on the ground. Those aren’t backup quarterback numbers—those are franchise QB stats.
The Small Sample Size Gamble
But here’s where it gets tricky. We’re talking about maybe 10-15 games of solid play spread across multiple seasons. That’s not exactly a massive body of work. It’s the NFL equivalent of judging a movie based on the trailer. It looks great, but can it sustain that quality over two hours?
Rapoport himself acknowledged this massive elephant in the room. Any team that signs Willis to a $30 million-plus deal is essentially betting their organizational future on limited tape. It’s a massive gamble, the kind that can make or break a general manager’s career.
Yet Mayfield and Darnold proved that sometimes these resurrection stories work out beautifully. Both quarterbacks had rocky starts to their careers before finding success with new organizations. Mayfield revitalized his career in Tampa Bay with a three-year, $100 million deal, while Darnold landed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks after his own redemption arc. The question is: can Willis replicate that success over a full season?
Where Could Willis Land?
Rapoport mentioned the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals as potential destinations, though he quickly pumped the brakes on both. Miami’s got Tua Tagovailoa eating up cap space, and Arizona’s committed to Kyler Murray. Both teams would face serious financial gymnastics to make a Willis signing work.
Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, who worked with Willis in Green Bay, was pretty candid about the reality of the situation. “Any team in a quarterback-needy situation that tells you they’re not talking about Malik Willis, that would be a lie,” Sullivan said at the NFL Combine. But he also made it clear that Miami’s cap situation is “restrained,” which is GM-speak for “we’re broke.”
The reality is that Miami would need to make some serious cap magic happen to afford Willis, especially with Tagovailoa’s contract already on the books. Sullivan didn’t rule it out entirely, but he also didn’t sound like a guy ready to break the bank for a quarterback with a limited resume.
The Contract Comparisons Tell the Story
Let’s break down what we’re really talking about here. Daniel Jones got four years and $160 million from the New York Giants in 2023. Geno Smith landed two years and $75 million from the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. These are the kinds of contracts Rosenthal suggested Willis might command.
For a guy who’s completed fewer than 100 career passes? That’s absolutely wild. It speaks to both the desperation teams feel at the quarterback position and the premium placed on athletic quarterbacks who can extend plays with their legs.
Willis brings a dual-threat element that’s incredibly valuable in today’s NFL. He’s not just a guy who can scramble when things break down—he’s a legitimate running threat who can pick up chunks of yards and keep defenses honest. In an era where guys like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have revolutionized the position, that kind of mobility is worth its weight in gold.
The Bottom Line on Willis’ Market Value
Whether Willis ends up being worth $30 million, $35 million, or somewhere in between remains to be seen. What’s clear is that his limited but impressive tape has NFL decision-makers salivating over his potential. In a league where quarterback play is everything, teams are willing to take big swings on guys who show even a flash of brilliance.
Willis showed more than a flash in Green Bay. He showed legitimate franchise quarterback ability, even if it was only for a handful of games. That’s enough to make him one of the most intriguing free agents in years—and one of the most expensive gambles a team could make.
