When the new league year begins, the Green Bay Packers will almost certainly lose backup quarterback Malik Willis.
Willis was a surprise addition before the start of the 2024 season and not only played significant snaps for the Packers but also led a career redemption arc that will likelyearn him a starting role on another team this season. Without Willis’ efforts the past two seasons, the Packers may have missed the postseason. Now, another team will hope Willis can bring that magic into a full-time role.
It’s a testament to Matt LaFleur and the coaching staff for maximizing Willis’ readily apparent skills while developing him into an all-around passer.
While the eventual comp pick should be a fitting tribute from the league, it does leave the Packers without their best backup QB. General manager Brian Gutekunst previously mentioned a desire to start developing quarterbacks once again, even if they aren’t an immediate need, and, dollars to pączkis, he’ll draft one in the later rounds of this year’s draft.
Yet if Jordan Love misses time, as he did the past two seasons, the Packers probably want more than an inexperienced Day 3 rookie to keep the franchise afloat. It would behoove Green Bay to find a more experienced primary backup, and they should use Malik Willis as the prototype for the traits to seek.
No organization will bat 1.000 at developing the most important position in professional sports, but LaFleur and Gutekunst have proven results. Under LaFleur, the Packers had Aaron Rodgers playing MVP-level football again. He also developed Jordan Love into an elite starter, despite what silly national polls might argue, and completely pivoted Willis’ career from a forgotten top-100 pick to one of the most sought-after free agents.
With the Tennessee Titans’ lack of continuity in the coaching staff and the quarterback position, Willis lost ground to Will Levis, the Mayonnaise Monarch. After Levis won the job. Tennessee traded him to Green Bay after the 2024 preseason for a seventh-round selection.
Willis was once viewed as a potential top-five pick in a weak quarterback class. Still, he fell to the third round. His time in Tennessee was unimpressive. While he had dynamic rushing skills, his pure passing ability left much to be desired.
In 11 regular-season games, Willis completed just over 50% of his passes (35 for 66 for 53%) for 276 yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions.
It looked like Willis was growing as a quarterback after a solid 2024 preseason, but it wasn’t enough for the Titans to keep him.
Their loss would be Green Bay’s gain.
With Love hurt in the 2024 regular season opener, Willis saw action early, and LaFleur played to his strengths as Willis adjusted to the offense.
LaFleur leaned heavily on the running game in Willis’ early games, including Willis’ own rushing ability, and took the pressure off of the young quarterback. Willis wasn’t asked to be the hero, only to play clean football and play within the offense. When teams expected Willis to just run the ball, LaFleur would let him cut loose.
The offense under Malik Willis looked much different than the one Love helmed, by design. They have completely different skill sets. By leaning on what Willis was good at while building his confidence and developing areas where he needed more growth, LaFleur raised Willis’ floor dramatically. Now, another team will reap the results.
That’s the blueprint the Packers need to seek in their next backup quarterback.
Despite the silliness of critics who wanted Willis as the starter over Love, Love is an excellent starting quarterback who commands a high salary. Green Bay wants to contend and can’t devote a high amount of money to an experienced veteran, but they need someone who can win games if Love misses time.
A younger, dual-threat quarterback who another team has moved on from is the path.
At the very worst, run-first backup quarterbacks have a high floor. They might not make the pretty, artillery throws Love can. Still, they can keep the chains moving with their legs, lean on the run game, which LaFleur wants to do anyway, and then keep teams honest with simple but well-schemed throws. It builds confidence while LaFleur and the quarterbacks coaches hone the more-difficult aspects of quarterbacking.
Teams are impatient, which means this type of passer isn’t too difficult to find.
I've been radicalized to the idea that a backup QB should ideally be a very good runner. Gives the playcaller such flexibility with a one-off gameplan. https://t.co/NNTQf61D27
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) February 12, 2026
The picturesque option of this archetype could be Anthony Richardson, the former top-five ultra-athletic, inexperienced quarterback the Indianapolis Colts may choose to move on from. Richardson has some red flags that could be adjusted with the right coaches. He might be more expensive than other options, though still most likely a Day 3 pick. However, his ceiling is through the roof, even if that metaphor doesn’t actually make sense.
If the Packers don’t want to lose their coveted draft picks, Trey Lance is a free agent and fits all the criteria, and he played college football with Christian Watson. Of all expected free agents, Lance is probably the most fitting reclamation project.
Green Bay might not even need to look outside the building if it believes Desmond Ridder, who joined the team in the final hours of 2025, can take the necessary steps forward.
Whichever route Green Bay chooses to go, Malik Willis provided Green Bay with the blueprint on what they should seek out to immediately backup Jordan Love — a young, gifted dual-threat quarterback who has yet to play to their best projection.