Malik Willis has garnered more buzz as the Green Bay Packers' backup quarterback than several starters around the league. Whether that says more about him or the lack of viable options at the sport's most important position is up for debate.
As always, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Willis has shown he can lead his own huddle whenever called upon to step in for Packers star Jordan Love. Yet, the hype surrounding him may have reached a fever pitch, illustrated by retired NFL signal-caller turned ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky's latest bold take.
If Orlovsky's prediction proves true, Willis is as good as gone from Green Bay.
Packers fans are bracing for Malik Willis' exit after Dan Orlovsky's bold declaration
Orlovsky took to social media to highlight that Willis, a pending unrestricted free agent, is poised for a massive payday. Packers fans already knew this, though the presumed dollar amount is eye-popping:
"Malik Willis is gonna get [$]40-50 million this off season," Orlovsky wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
In fairness, Orlovsky's lofty valuation didn't specify if this was an annual rate or the total price of Willis' next contract. Either way, the assessment certainly sparked an online firestorm; even fellow media members weighed in on the former's statement.
Emmanuel Acho, one of Orlovsky's former colleagues, suggested the Willis statement was textbook rage bait. Meanwhile, ESPN's Booger McFarland couldn't believe what he read, saying he's "saving" the post to revisit at a later date.
By the sound of it, Orlovsky may have ruffled some feathers with just one sentence. He's ostensibly sold on what we've seen from Willis during his time with the Packers and believes rival executives will be in due course. Nevertheless, the strong endorsement triggered corresponding backlash, albeit with a lack of clarity on the translation of the text.
It's hard to envision Willis getting that kind of money on a per-season basis when he hits the open market in the coming months. However, on a multi-year deal? That certainly feels well within the range of outcomes.
The New York Jets signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million pact that included $30 million in guaranteed money last March. Despite a smaller sample size, Willis has been more effective and is the same age. Moreover, supply and demand will certainly drive up the price tag.