The Packers appear to have found their new backup quarterback. In exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick, Green Bay is acquiring Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans, a source with knowledge of the trade said Monday.
The deal comes after Sean Clifford, Jordan Love’s 2023 backup, had a disappointing camp. The 2023 fifth-round pick out of Penn State couldn’t part ways with seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt, who also didn’t stand out but could have more upside and can develop on the practice squad this offseason if the Packers take only Love and Willis on their initial 53-man roster.
While Willis will likely be the Packers’ backup quarterback for most of this season, can he be ready to play in Week 1 in less than two weeks?
Perhaps the Packers will keep Clifford or Pratt on the bench at 53 to ensure they have a backup who knows the offense better than Willis did against the Eagles in Brazil. If they are certain both will be cut, perhaps they will release both and move them back to the practice squad before moving Clifford to game day in Week 1 since he knows the offense better, then release him while continuing to develop Pratt on the practice squad. Ultimately, the Packers could go in a few different directions with their backup quarterback(s).
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Willis, a third-round pick in 2022, has completed 35 of 66 passes in his career for 350 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing 32 times for 144 yards and a touchdown.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Saturday after the preseason finale of the competition for the backup quarterback job: “There were some really good moments, and then there’s some things we definitely have to do better, and then we’ll evaluate everything that’s ahead of us.”
Ultimately, the Packers evaluated what was available elsewhere and determined it was better than what they had.
Malik Willis improved but was a dud under previous Titans regime
Some had Willis as QB1 in the 2022 draft, which was short on quarterbacks, meaning some thought the Titans would get a bargain with the 86th pick in the third round. But this move by former general manager Jon Robinson, months after the Titans were the AFC’s No. 1 seed and blew it all with a home playoff loss to Cincinnati, was a bad one.
The Titans should have added quality players to help Ryan Tannehill, even though he threw three interceptions against the Bengals. Instead, it was an empty pick, as the Titans quickly discovered, leading to the selection of Will Levis a year later. Joe Rexrode, Titans Editor-in-Chief
Tennessee upgraded its QB2 with Mason Rudolph
The Titans have their best second-quarter situation in five years — when Tannehill arrived in a trade with Miami and eventually dethroned Marcus Mariota — thanks to the signing of Mason Rudolph. He’s been excellent in camp and preseason games, putting to rest the notion that he and Willis were in competition to be the backup, even though the Titans coaches have framed it that way.
Unlike five years ago, however, Rudolph poses no threat to the starter. Finding out what Levis can do is the franchise’s top priority this season. Rexrode
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(Photo: Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
