Quarterback Malik Willis is the apple of the eye of NFL teams this offseason. Once a raw rookie out of Liberty, Willis has improved enough to earn a chance to start for a slew of quarterback-needy teams this offseason. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t return, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be one of them. Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo prefers the team goes in a different direction.
“It’s not that I’m not a fan of Willis, I just don’t think he’s done enough that you would pay him free agent money and make him the starter,” Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan Wednesday morning. “I don’t think he’s earned that quite yet.”
Whichever team takes the chance on Willis will be making a projection. Fittipaldo cited his weak and limited resume that shouldn’t anoint him bona fide-starter status. In four seasons, he’s thrown just 155 passes. Even though he’s played well in two seasons with the Green Bay Packers, that’s still amounted to just three starts and 89 pass attempts. A small sample size to throw a big-money contract at.
Fittipaldo wants a more-proven veteran.
“I’m talking more like a Jacoby Brissett type of guy. A veteran who could come in here and help you win games and be a good leader,” he said.
There’s no question Brissett has the upper hand in experience. Entering his 11th NFL season, his 485 pass attempts in 2025 alone more than triple Willis’ career total. He’s smart with the football and doesn’t turn it over, second only to Aaron Rodgers in NFL history for lowest interception rate (and held the mark for much of 2025).
But to challenge Fittipaldo’s point, Brissett hasn’t helped teams win. He sports a career 20-45 record and has never posted a .500-or-better single season mark. In fairness, he’s played on some lousy teams and perhaps Pittsburgh could offer a better supporting cast. But he’s a bridge of bridges and doesn’t offer the upside Willis does.
Paying Willis is taking a chance. Still, if proven wrong, missing on Willis won’t inflict long-term franchise harm. If he isn’t the answer, whatever contract he signs should be easy enough to get out of in 2027, very similar to Justin Fields’ situation in New York. And Pittsburgh could then turn all its energy on the 2027 draft and aggressively pursue a first-round option.
It’s fair to question Willis’ resume. But if the Steelers keep signing low-upside options like Brissett, the franchise has no chance of moving forward.
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