By Mark Eckel
One of his more unheralded moves turned out to be one of the best decisions Brian Gutekunst has made as general manager of the Green Bay Packers.
After watching second-year man Sean Clifford and rookie Michael Pratt struggle through training camp and the preseason, Gutekunsy sent a seventh-round draft pick to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for Malik Willis.
Tennessee spent a third-round pick in the 2022 draft on Willis, but forced the Liberty product onto the scene too quickly and then gave up on him in the same vein. The Titans thought the combination of Will Levis and Mason Rudolph were worth dealing Willis. They were wrong.
With the Packers last season Willis could have gotten votes for the team MVP. Forced into action in week two when Jordan Love was out with a knee injury and less than a month after his arrival, Willis led the team to a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He then went back to Tennessee and beat his old Titans, 30-14.
In the win over the Colts, Willis was limited but completed 12 of 14 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown. He also ran six times for 41 yards. Against the Titans he was 13-for-19 for 202 yards and a touchdown and ran six times for 73 yards and another touchdown.
Later in the season he came off the bench for an injured Love and led the Packers to a 30-27 win over Jacksonville where he completed four of five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Willis next action came in the second half of the final game of the regular season against Chicago and he competed 10 of 13 passes for 136 yards. He left the field with the lead only to watch the defense give it away in the final seconds.
Could Clifford or Pratt have done the same? You never know, but the smart money says no. So without Willis the Packers more than likely fail to make the playoffs.
Now going into the 2025 season, Willis' second in Matt LaFleur's offense, the question begs is the former Titan the best backup quarterback in the league?
A quick look around the NFC where the backups include the likes of been around the block guys like Marcus Mariota (Washington), Jameis Winston (New York), Andy Dalton (Carolina), Drew Lock (Seattle) and Jimmy Garapolo (Los Angeles) and then the unproven lot of Tanner McKee (Philadelphia), Joe Milton (Dallas), Kyle Trask (Tampa Bay) and Hendon Hooker (Detroit), Willis stands out as the best.
The only NFC back-up, and he may not be a back-up if he gets traded, better than Willis would be Atlanta's Kirk Cousins. And at this point of both of their careers that's debatable.
In the AFC again there are the former starters hanging around in former Bears savior Mitch Trubisky (Buffalo), Zach Wilson (Miami), Tyrod Taylor (New York), Mason Randolph (Pittsburgh), Will Levis (Tennessee), Gardner Minshew (Kansas City) and Taylor Heinicke (Los Angeles).
You taking any of those guys over Willis? Didn't think so.
**Malik Willis**The only AFC backup who has done as much, if not more than the Packers backup, is Baltimore's Cooper Rush, who had his share of success in Dallas.