General manager Brian Gutekunst, head coach Matt LaFleur, and the Green Bay Packers are going to need to go shopping for a backup for Jordan Love, in a terrible year to need a quarterback.
Not only is there a significant drop off on the NFL Draft from Fernando Mendoza to Ty Simpson, Drew Allar and the rest of the incoming crop of quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft, but Malik Willis could fetch upwards of $30 million and there aren’t many proven second-tier backup quarterbacks who would move the needle.
Could Packers be perfect fit for Zach Wilson?
Aug 19, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) looks to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Meanwhile, Willis is cashing in because he was a former first-round pick who thrived in LaFleur’s system and made the most of the opportunities that presented themselves.
According to Packers on SI’s Bill Huber, former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson could be next to follow in not just Willis’ footsteps with the Packers but Sam Darnold’s and Baker Mayfield’s as well, as a quarterback who benefits from time in a system with a head coach who has developed a reputation as an elite developer of passers.
“The second pick of the 2021 draft,” Huber writes, listing Wilson as a top candidate to watch for the Packers, in free agency. “Wilson went 12-21 as a starter for the Jets in his first three seasons. He completed just 57.0 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions and a 73.2 passer rating. He didn’t play in a game in 2024 and was 6-of-11 passing for 32 yards last year with Miami. He’s young, talented and athletic, and perhaps worth a Hail Mary.”
Given Willis’ trajectory, it’s easy to see why Wilson might be interested in the Packers.
As this weak quarterback market takes shape, how teams view Wilson’s pedigree and status as a former top-five pick could drive his price, and it will be interesting to see if he winds up on the Packers’ radar let alone in the quarterback room alongside Love and LaFleur in the weeks ahead.