Unsatisfied with the performance of Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt during the preseason, the Green Bay Packers took another tack in finding a backup quarterback. Green Bay sent a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Tennessee Titans on Monday in exchange for Malik Willis.
Willis is destined to be the No. 3 quarterback in Tennessee’s depth chart and could get the opportunity to become Green Bay’s first option if Jordan Love is injured.
A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Willis has appeared in 11 games over his first two seasons, including three starts. He has completed 53% of his passes for 350 yards but has yet to throw an NFL touchdown pass. But he showed signs of mobility at times, including rushing for 144 yards and a touchdown.
Willis is still just 25 years old and has plenty of time to develop behind Love, and the Packers likely believe he has better potential than Clifford or Pratt given his overall talent, athleticism and future prospects. Willis would also be a more stable backup option.
To get a better idea of what the Packers saw in Willis, we’ll take a look at some video from his first two seasons and the 2024 preseason.
Let’s get started.
Both of Willis’ starts came in his rookie season, and the Titans ran a fairly simple offense, but Willis showed off his running ability by scoring his first career rushing touchdown against the Houston Texans, running a read option, evading tackles and using his speed and toughness to get to the end zone.
There are concerns about his processing ability and decision-making. In the video below, the Texans quickly pressure Willis. Forced to rush the pass, he fails to see the linebacker and throws an interception. Taking care of the ball is a top priority for an NFL quarterback, and Willis is still learning.
Given time, he is able to make the right decisions. On the next play, he makes the correct read and threads a pass to the tight end for an out, but the pass is low. With better positioning, the tight end could have moved up the field and gained more yards. Accuracy is another area where Willis needs to be more consistent.
Moving Willis is a recipe for success. He’s able to read half the field and make better decisions. Clearly, he has potential.
The next clip is from this year’s preseason. Willis looks a little bouncy, but he’s moving through the pocket nicely and making a progression before throwing the pass. It’s a tight, nice spiral, but unfortunately, he misses his intended target. The process looks good, but he needs to get better at throwing the pass.
The Packers probably underlined and circled this next play when they were evaluating Willis. This pass shows off his arm strength and talent and shows why he’s a good project for your quarterback room. This is an absolute dart into a tight window that only a receiver can catch.
Willis rushed for over 2,000 yards in college, and when you watch plays like this, it’s easy to see why: Even when the edge tries to block the option, Willis is quick enough to turn the corner for a sizeable gain.
We’ve seen a noticeable improvement in Willis’s processing ability, as seen in the clip below, where he reads the ball over and over again before checking it to the running back. Now in his third year, Willis looks much more composed.
Here’s a great example of Willis making an accurate pass under pressure: Notice his footwork in the pocket and how he places the ball on the inside shoulder of the receiver, away from the defender.
Despite his development, Willis can be a little over-eager at times, like on this layered throw. He clearly has great arm talent, but this was a risky decision that he ended up paying for. He would have been better off extending the play and waiting for someone to get open. A throw-away would have been fine. He was playing from a clean pocket, so there was no need to rush.
Let’s end on a positive note. Willis has arm strength and he showed it in the final preseason game. The receiver won a fade from the slot and Willis dropped a nice ball in the pocket. Some may argue it was a bit of a poor throw, but the result is hard to argue with.
Conclusion
After all, Green Bay acquired a third-round talent with a seventh-round pick, significantly strengthening their quarterback depth. Willis is a true dual-threat QB with a big arm and plenty of room to grow. His processing and accuracy leave room for improvement, but his athleticism and potential are clearly superior to Clifford and Pratt. It will be interesting to see if quarterbacks coach Tom Clements can further develop Willis, especially following the recent success of Jordan Love.