Malik Willis will be a compelling figure to track as he moves through free agency. Any QB-needy team is about to have a chance to sign him now that his rookie contract has run out.
Willis’s Improved Performance
As the backup to Jordan Love in Green Bay over the past two seasons, Willis posted a 134.6 passer rating. He completed 78.7 percent of his passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns, with zero interceptions. He also ran for 241 yards on 42 carries (6.2 yards per attempt), tallying three more scores on the ground.
Willis has significantly improved since a lackluster run with Tennessee. He has shown himself to be a dynamic quarterback who can make plays inside and outside of the pocket with his mobility.
In 11 games over two seasons with Tennessee, the former third-rounder compiled a 49.4 passer rating, with a 53 percent completion rate and a 0:3 TD-to-INT ratio. He only had six career starts under his belt, three with the Packers.
Studying tape from 2024 and 2025, Willis looked nothing like the overwhelmed player who struggled mightily as a young starter for the Titans. He played with outstanding composure and poise, relying on his stellar supporting cast to make plays on pinpoint throws as part of an extensive catch-and-run passing-concept menu. The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder tormented defences with his playmaking ability as a dual-threat quarterback.
Willis’ splash plays on designed quarterback runs and impromptu scrambles kept defenders guessing, while adding an extra dimension to the Packers’ offense.
Potential Landing Spots
Given the way the young quarterback flourished whenever he stepped onto the field in green and gold, the fascination with Willis’ potential as a full-time starter has reached a crescendo, with free agency set to begin on Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m. ET.
- New coach Mike LaFleur could borrow the blueprint that his brother, Packers coach Matt LaFleur, used to help Willis play like a franchise QB, ensuring he is able to operate fast and free within the pocket.
- Given the weapons already on the roster in Arizona (Trey McBride, Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr.), putting a dynamic QB at the helm could really jump-start this attack.
- Thanks to the presumed familiarity between the quarterback and the play-caller, along with the connection between Willis and general manager Monti Ossenfort (who was serving as the Titans’ director o
It’s true that lavishing a megabucks contract on a QB with just six career starts under his belt (three with the Packers) will make some owners squeamish.
After taking some time to assess the quarterback market and which teams would best fit the mobile playmaker’s talents, here are three enticing options for the quarterback who sits atop Gregg Rosenthal’s ranking of 101 best free agents of 2026.