It’s certainly fair to say that Malik Willis’s performance in 2024 was a pleasant surprise. He flamed out quickly in Tennessee, but head coach Matt LaFleur had the magic touch when Willis was called into action.
Last season, Willis went 2-0 as a starter while completing 74 percent of his passes for 550 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He also ran for 138 yards and a score on 20 carries. That might be all it takes to revive his career in the league while reminding the league why he had so much buzz heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.
But being one of the better backups in the league isn’t Willis’ ultimate goal. Eventually, he’ll leave the Packers one way or another in pursuit of a starting opportunity elsewhere. While the Packers aren’t exactly positioned to go to the trading block with intentions on losing key depth, it beats getting nothing back if Willis walks at the end of the season when his contract is up.
The right offer could prompt Packers to make a move with Malik Willis
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox highlighted Willis among seven quarterbacks that teams should be looking to trade for. While the Packers won’t go out of their way to trade Willis, if a team comes to the bargaining table with an offer, they may as well listen.
Knox suggested the Los Angeles Rams or the Pittsburgh Steelers should be calling up Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst to land Willis. The Rams make more sense than the Steelers, unless Pittsburgh is in crisis mode a few weeks into the season.
The Steelers like their room with Mason Rudolph backing up Aaron Rodgers for this season, while Will Howard has quite a bit of buzz even as a sixth-round pick. Plus, the team is positioned to make a move for a quarterback in the draft, which will be hosted in Pittsburgh next year.
As for the Rams, it depends on how Matthew Stafford is doing. At 37, his current back issue is concerning. If it impacts his ability to play into his 40s, they need a better backup plan than Stetson Bennett. If Stafford can play into his 40s, then LA would likely prefer to ride out his career.
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I would instead argue that there are two better landing spots in a trade with Willis. If the Las Vegas Raiders find that Geno Smith’s newfound magic stayed in Seattle, then trading for Willis could be a sound option for the silver and black. Smith doesn’t scream long-term answer in Las Vegas, so more options beyond him wouldn’t be a bad thing.
The other is the Philadelphia Eagles. Yeah, Willis would still be a backup there, but he’d fit the Jalen Hurts role well if he went down, and Willis has a higher stock than second-year QB Tanner McKee, who’s currently serving as the backup in Philly.
Still, even at Willis’ peak value, the Packers wouldn’t get much for him, a late Day 2 pick at best, most likely. And if the team is willing to give him up for that type of compensation, then the Packers must have the utmost confidence in Sean Clifford or undrafted free agent Taylor Elgersma, which seems unlikely.