Malik Willis is a member of the Green Bay Packers. That would have seemed strange a few years ago. Willis was a hot name in the 2022 NFL Draft coming out of Liberty University. There were rumors he could go as high as sixth overall to the Carolina Panthers. Many mock drafts had the Pittsburgh Steelers taking him at 20. But Willis would fall out of the first round. Many just assumed he would go early in the second round. However, Willis would fall to the Tennessee Titans at pick 86 in the third round.
At the time, the Titans believed they got a steal. Many wondered why a quarterback with an elite arm and athleticism would fall so far in the draft. Ian Rappaport reported at the time that “Everybody loves the talent. But the offense he plays in is so simple.” Teams were concerned about his transition into the league where offenses are much more complex. But with the Titans, he would have time to learn behind current QB Ryan Tannehill.
Titans Acquire a Draft Pick
Things did not work out the way the Titans hoped. Willis struggled in his three career starts. Then the Titans used a second round pick in 2023 on Kentucky QB Will Levis. It became clear during 2023 that Tennessee viewed Levis as their starter. It got worse for Willis when the Titans signed former Steeler Mason Rudolph to be their backup. Like most teams, the Titans were only keeping two quarterbacks. So rather than just waiving him, the Titans were able to add a seventh round pick in the 2025 draft.
The Packers liked Willis enough to trade a draft pick for him rather than risk other teams claiming him on waivers. You rarely find a quarterback with his athleticism. The backup quarterback position was a question mark coming into the offseason and by trading for him, the Packers feel Willis is an upgrade to that position. It’s also possible that Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst liked Willis a lot coming out of the draft. However, they were not in a position to draft a QB at the time with Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love already on the roster.
Willis Upgrades Backup Quarterback
Willis had a much better preseason than the Green Bay backups Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt. They combined to complete 45 out of 78 passes for 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. If you watch their game against Denver, they looked much worse than those statistics indicate. Willis performed more efficiently in the preseason, going 20 for 27 with 2 touchdowns versus 1 interception. He also ran for 101 yards on just 11 carries. Neither Clifford nor Pratt have that kind of scrambling ability.
Willis is under contract with the Packers for two more seasons. If he continues to develop, then giving up only a seventh round pick looks like a steal. Even if he only becomes an average backup, it’s only a late draft pick. Those are easy to trade for and Gutekunst loves to trade back and acquire more picks.
Final Thoughts
Did it make sense for the Titans to move on from Willis and get what they could for him? Absolutely. And it made sense for the Packers to upgrade their backup quarterback. The Packers like his potential upside. All they need him to be is a quality backup. The good news for Willis is he will have the opportunity to learn behind 2023 breakout star Jordan Love.
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