Packers reportedly trade for Tennessee QB Malik Willis

August 26, 2024
|In Packers
|By Zach Heilprin

The Green Bay Packers have a new backup quarterback.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team acquired Tennessee’s Malik Willis in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

A 2022 third-round pick out of Liberty, Willis played in 11 games over his first two seasons in a reserve role. He’s thrown just 66 passes, completing 35 of them for 350 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. The 25-year-old does present an issue for defenses as a runner, where he totaled 144 yards and a score in his career.

Willis was solid in the preseason for the Titans, going 20-for-27 for 205 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also had more than 100 yards on the ground. However, it was likely that his time in Nashville was coming to an end as Tennessee was expected to go with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at quarterback.

The addition of Willis comes after the Packers watched this summer as Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt battled to back up Jordan Love. Both had their moments but it was clear from coach Matt LaFleur’s postgame comments following Saturday’s win over Baltimore there was a chance of a move like this.

“We’ll see,” LaFleur said when asked if he had a No. 2 quarterback on his roster that could win games for him. “I think it’s similar to the kicking competition in terms of there was some really good moments and then there’s some things that we absolutely have to do better. And then we’ll evaluate everything that’s out there for us.”

It’s possible that Green Bay could keep three quarterbacks, though that has rarely been the case under the leadership of former GM Ted Thompson and current GM Brian Gutekunst. It’s more likely that either Clifford or Pratt ends up on the practice squad.

Teams must have their rosters down to 53 players by 3 p.m. on Tuesday.