Malik Willis: Why Not?
Every time Malik Willis has stepped on the field for the Packers over the last two seasons, he’s been impressive.
Across 11 games and 3 starts, he completed 78.8% of his passes (on 89 pass attempts), for 10.9 yards per attempt, with 6 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 134.6 passer rating.
He also added 261 yards and 3 touchdowns on 42 rushing attempts.
It’s safe to say that any team would sign up for that out of their back-up quarterback.
Willis has been so good that he’s gone from being a forgotten prospect from the 2022 NFL Draft to a likely starter in 2026 and perhaps the most coveted free agent quarterback this offseason.
For the teams that are in need of a QB, I can’t help but say, “why not Malik Willis?”
It seems like a foregone conclusion that the Raiders will take Fernando Mendoza with the #1 overall pick. The quarterback class appears thin behind him. So Willis wouldn’t be a bad option for the teams in need.
Below, I’ll take a look at the pros and cons for any team thinking about making Willis their starting quarterback next season.
Pro: He’s Very Talented
Anyone with eyes can see how much talent Willis has. This has never been a question, even going back to the 2022 pre-draft process.
His arm strength is impressive:
He’s a dangerous runner, regularly using his legs to evade pass rushers, extend plays, and scramble for 1st downs:
32.4% of his career rushing attempts have picked up first downs. For context, Lamar Jackson has picked up first downs on 36.9% of his career rushing attempts.