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Malik Willis Will Be An NFL Starting Quarterback Somewhere in 2026, And Here's Why
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- Malik Willis Will Be An NFL Starting Quarterback Somewhere in 2026, And Here's Why
If there's one thing you learn from watching football long enough, it's that quarterback development isn't a linear thing. You never really know when (or if) a quarterback will display the required attributes to succeed at the highest level. Over the last few years, we've seen all kinds of quarterbacks, from Geno Smith to Baker Mayfield to Sam Darnold , announce their presences with authority after washing out with their first NFL teams.
All it takes is that magical combination of team, system, coaching staff, and the quarterback who is ready for the right kind of tutelage. If you're looking for the next second-act quarterback to come out of nowhere to find NFL success in his second stop and beyond, it's time to pay attention to Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis . The Liberty alum (by way of Auburn ) was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 draft, and was given precious little opportunity in that first home. Over two seasons with the Titans, Willis completed 35 of 66 passes for 350 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 49.4.
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When the Titans traded Willis to the Packers on August 26, 2024 for a 2025 seventh-round pick, it was an afterthought transaction at best.
Willis got his first opportunities with Green Bay early in the 2024 season, when starter Jordan Love suffered an MCL sprain in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles . In seven games and two starts overall, he upped his game, with 40 completions in 54 attempts for 550 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 124.8. This included a Week 3 start against the Titans, when he completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 120.9. With that, Willis gave his old team what-for, and continued on his new progression.
Now that Willis has relieved Love in two straight games once again this season, the talk is more and more about Willis' future as a starter, and for good reason. Love was removed from Green Bay's 22-16 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears after a concussion, and it wasn't Willis' fault that the Packers lost that game; that was more about Bears head coach Ben Johnson putting Green Bay's defense on a string .
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This season, Willis has completed 30 of 35 passes for 422 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 145.5. He's also been incredibly valuable as a runner, with 123 yards on 22 carries, and two touchdowns — both scored in the Packers' 41-24 Saturday loss to the Baltimore Ravens . Once again, the loss had very little to do with Willis, and a lot more to do with a Packers defense that has fallen off a cliff of late, and got bullied to the extreme by Derrick Henry in this case.
The running ability gives Packers head coach and offensive shot-caller Matt LaFleur options he doesn't have with Love. That's not to denigrate Love, who is a more polished and developed quarterback at this point in time; it's what Willis can create when he takes the ball down and decides on forward progress.
Of course, if Willis is to be a legitimate NFL starting quarterback somewhere, he'll have to show that he can read through progressions, identify different coverage concepts (especially when they're disguised from pre-snap to post-snap), complete bigtime passes with both touch and velocity (always with accuracy), and make plays outside of structure. As much as Willis showed all of that against the Bears, he doubled up on all the nuances in the Ravens game.
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Basically, it ain't a problem. Willis did all of this while playing through a shoulder injury he suffered in the Bears game, which was aggravated against Baltimore. Because the Packers didn't expect Willis to play in Week 16, and he was held back in practice this past week, he also did all of this with minimal first-team reps in practice.
"I don't know," LaFleur said postgame, when asked how Willis is doing all of this all of a sudden. "I think it just is a credit to him and the amount of work that he's put in and the type of player he is. He's showing everybody who he is and what he can be.
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"You guys knew going into this thing that he's been battling through a throwing shoulder injury. I just think that speaks to the type of competitor that Malik Willis is. He's as tough as anybody. He made play after play after play out there. He was one of the few bright spots, I would say, on the night in regard to what he was able to do. I thought he just — he made plays, he threw the ball accurately, and it was kind of a crazy week in regard to him not getting any reps. You know, missed a day being sick, came back. He was dialed in, man, and I thought he played outstanding."
LaFleur is erring a bit on the humble side; Willis was dropped into an ideal situation for his future in that he didn't have starter's pressure, and he could work on his game in one of the NFL's best passing games. But yes, Willis has shown everything he needs to show for the rest of the NFL to take notice.
"I mean, more than anything, in Tennessee, I kind of got thrown in the fire," Willis said after the Ravens game, when asked about his improvement specifically as a deep passer. Willis expanded it to how he's grown as a quarterback overall. "I wouldn't say I was ready yet. I hadn't seen that much. [It was) my first time being under center pretty much every single play almost — I didn't do that in college — and just understanding the different type of defenses that you'll see in the league versus college. Obviously it's going to be more 11 and 12 [personnel] in college, and we get into all these different personnel in Tennessee, and now you're seeing base, now you're seeing sub, now you're seeing dime, and understanding what comes with that.
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"I just wasn't ready at the time, and even on some of our [the Packers'] plays, I was still trying to absorb it all. But you kind of get thrown out there and for what it is, that's who you are. That's how the league works. Whatever you put on tape, that's who you are, regardless if it's a good showing or not."
Now, Willis has no issue with what his tape will show. Nor should he.
"I think that what you put on tape is your pitch, and obviously any opportunity would be a blessing. You want to think about that type of stuff, but you can't worry about tomorrow. Today has enough problems of its own. We have to figure out how to get back ontrack here."
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Yes, the 9-6-1 Packers, who are pretty much locked into the NFC's seven-seed, need to figure some things out — especially with a defense that is struggling mightily for all kinds of reasons. But these Packers also have a great reclamation story in Malik Willis, and they shouldn't get used to it. Malik Willis will be a free agent in the 2026 league year, and the NFL suitors will absolutely come calling.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
