Malik Willis‘ regular season debut for the Green Bay Packers came earlier than just about anyone expected. It came in the closing seconds of Friday night’s Week 1 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles after starting quarterback Jordan Love sustained a potentially serious injury.
Willis was unable to lead the Packers to victory, as Green Bay was on the wrong side of a 34-29 final score. But he may be called upon to lead the Packers’ offense if Love misses time. Initial tests reportedly revealed that Love’s ACL is still intact, but a myriad of options still remain regarding the status of Love’s knee and what that will mean for his recovery.
While we continue to await more news on Love’s injury, here are five fast facts about Green Bay’s other quarterback.
New Packer in town
Willis has been with the team for just a couple of weeks. On Aug. 26, he was traded from the Titans to the Packers for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Willis became the odd man out in Nashville after the Titans elected to go with former Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph as Will Levis‘ primary backup.
During the preseason with the Titans, Willis went 20 of 27 (a 74.1 completion percentage) for 205 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. While those numbers were similar to the ones Rudolph and Levis compiled, his five sacks stood out as Rudolph was sacked just once and Levis was not sacked. Willis did lead the Titans in rushing 101 yards on 11 carries that included a 28-yard run.
Seldomly used in 2024
Willis mostly found himself on the bench during his final year with the Titans, as he spent the year as Levis’ backup. He appeared in just three games, and his only pass attempts took place during a Week 6 loss to Baltimore. Willis went 4 of 5 for 74 yards in that game. He was sacked four times and ran for 17 yards on three carries.
A brief rookie starter
Willis made three starts as a rookie in 2022. The Titans went 1-2 in those games as Willis struggled with his accuracy. He also continued to take sacks at an alarming rate.
That season, Willis completed 50.8% of his throws, with no touchdowns and three picks. He was also sacked 10 times. He did have success on the ground, though, with 123 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. But that season confirmed that Willis’ game needed more work.
Not the best situation
Willis’ arrival in Nashville wasn’t welcomed with open arms by then-Titans starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who didn’t appear overly eager to help his young teammate. While Tannehill was right when he said it wasn’t his job to mentor Willis, it’s safe to say that Willis would have benefitted from having a veteran quarterback who was more open to helping him.
Prolific college QB
Willis enjoyed a highly successful end to his college career after transferring from Auburn to Liberty. During his two years as the Flames’ starting quarterback, Willis threw 47 touchdowns against 18 picks while completing 62.4% of his passes. He was especially dangerous on the ground with 1,822 yards and 27 touchdowns with a 5.4 yards-per-carry average.
Like the other top quarterbacks in that year’s draft, there were vast opinions on Willis’ potential as an NFL player prior to the draft. Many felt that, while he had undeniable athletic ability, Willis would likely struggle to adapt the the speed and talent level of NFL defenses. His underwhelming completion percentage in college was often highlighted by his detractors.
At this point, those pre-draft evaluations of Willis have come to fruition. While he has potential, Willis has struggled to have success throwing the ball and avoiding pressure against starting NFL defenses. But a good situation can go a long way for a young quarterback, and Willis has that in Green Bay with head coach Matt LaFleur and an offense that is not devoid of talent.
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Author: Bryan DeArdo
September 7, 2024 | 1:25 pm
