Pete Dougherty’s observations on the Packers’ season finale
Pete Dougherty and Dominique Yates recap the Green Bay Packers’ 30-7 preseason win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Green Bay Packers appear to have resolved their backup quarterback issue with a trade on Monday afternoon.
The Packers signed Malik Willis in the seventh round of the draft from the Tennessee Titans.
Here are a few things you should know about Willis:
How old is Malik Willis?
25
Where does Malik Willis rank in the Packers’ quarterback lineup?
Willis will likely slide to No. 2 and be Jordan Love’s replacement.
Did Malik Willis start in the NFL?
Yes, he started three games for the Titans as a rookie in 2022 and completed 53% of his 65 passes for 350 yards. As a starter, he was 1-2 and has yet to throw a touchdown pass. He also ran for 144 yards and a touchdown.
How did Willis perform for the Titans in the preseason?
Willis completed 20 of 27 passes for 205 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the preseason. He ran for 101 yards. He had four runs of 10+ yards and two throws of 20+ yards.
Where did Malik Willis study?
Willis played two seasons as a backup at Auburn before transferring to Liberty, where he threw for 5,107 yards and 47 touchdowns in two seasons. He also ran for 27 touchdowns in two seasons and ran for about 900 yards each year at Liberty.
Malik Willis was considered a first-round talent in 2022, but fell to the third round
Willis slipped into the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and was selected 86th overall by the Titans. That was quite a fall for a player who was considered a potential top-10 pick despite coming out of a small school in Liberty, in a year where the quarterback class wasn’t particularly highly regarded. Getting him in the third round could easily be called a steal for the Titans, as he serves as a backup to Ryan Tannehill — another name floating around as a potential backup quarterback option in Green Bay this season.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper rated Willis as his best quarterback in the class, finishing third behind Kenny Pickett (21st overall) and Desmond Ridder (73rd overall).
Malik Willis went viral for his friendly actions at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine
Willis went viral during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis when he was filmed giving clothes he received at the Combine to a homeless woman not far from Lucas Oil Stadium.
“I walked past her on the way to the Nike suite, got into a fight with them and walked out with a suitcase and everything. And I felt bad because I saw her son. It was a pregnant woman and she was homeless,” Willis said afterward. “And I just thought, ‘Damn, I don’t have any money, but I can give you some shirts.'”
Malik Willis was a high school teammate of new Packers teammate Xavier McKinney
Willis already knows his new teammate Xavier McKinney, with whom he played at Roswell High School in Georgia. Willis transferred to the school after three years at Westlake High School in Atlanta and excelled there as a senior in 2016; he also shared the field with McKinney, who later played for Alabama and was selected 36th in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Willis stayed in college for two more years, first at Auburn and then at Liberty, before being drafted himself.
What is Malik Willis’ contract status?
Willis has two years left on his four-year rookie contract. He will earn $1.174 million in 2024.
