No. 21 — Malik Willis

The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.

Overall, though, no one in the building was happy.

The Packers failed to build on their terrific finish to the 2023 campaign, settled for the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs, and lost a Wild Card game to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia.

Afterwards, general manager Brian Gutekunst turned up the heat on everybody in the building.

“We need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” Gutekunst said. “I think it’s time we started competing for championships.”

Those are fair expectations.

The Packers return 20 of 22 starters, and appear to have upgraded the roster via free agency and the draft. With several third and fourth year players trending upward, Green Bay should be poised to make a move.

“I think they’re ready,” Gutekunst said.

Now, it’s time for the Packers to prove their G.M. right.

Green Bay’s first training camp practice is July 23. Between now and then I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2025 campaign.

At No. 21 is quarterback Malik Willis.

No. 21

Malik Willis, QB

Last season

The Packers traded a seventh round draft pick to Tennessee for Willis last August, and the third-year quarterback helped Green Bay save its season.

Starter Jordan Love missed Weeks 2-3 with a knee injury. Love also missed half of a Week 8 contest with a groin injury.

Amazingly, the Packers went 3-0 in those games as Willis shined.

Willis completed 12-of-14 passes for 122 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks, in a 16-10 win over Indianapolis in Week 2. Willis also had six carries for 41 yards and didn’t throw an interception that day.

Then in a 30-14 rout of Tennessee in Week 3, Willis completed 13-of-19 passes for 202 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions. Willis also ran for a team-high 73 yards and a TD and finished with a passer rating of 120.9.

In those two games, Willis was a combined 25-of-33 for 324 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 126.3 passer rating. And amazingly, Willis led Green Bay to a pair of wins when it was a significant underdog in both contests.

“Great job by Malik coming in and just being ready for his number to be called and making big plays,” wide receiver Jayden Reed said.

Willis then entered the Packers’ Week 8 game at Jacksonville early in the third quarter and Green Bay leading 13-10. Willis completed 4-of-5 passes for 56 yards, ran for 23 yards and hit Reed with a 51-yard completion late in the game to lift Green Bay to a 30-27 win.

“You can’t say enough great things about Malik Willis, the job that he’s able to do to go in there,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said after the Jacksonville win. “The moment’s never too big for him.”

Willis finished the year completing 40-of-54 passes (74.1%) with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Willis threw for 550 yards, ran for 138 yards and finished with a terrific passer rating of 124.8.

Career to date

Willis attended Liberty and was a third round draft pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2022. He appeared in eight games as a rookie, including three starts when starter Ryan Tannehill was injured.

Willis was just 31-of-61 passing as a rookie, threw three interceptions with no touchdowns and had an abysmal passer rating of 42.8.

Willis had just five passing attempts in his second year with the Titans. And when he arrived in Green Bay, Willis had career stats of 35-for-66 passing for 350 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions and a 49.4.

Willis then turned his career around with a sensational 2024 campaign.

Outlook

The Packers were a mess at backup quarterback last summer as Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt both struggled throughout training camp.

Willis helped Green Bay survive — and thrive — though, when Love was hurt. And if Love goes down again, Green Bay figures to be in good hands.

Willis doesn’t have the passing skills of a player like Love. But Willis is one of the NFL’s premier dual threat quarterbacks and provides a run/pass option few other quarterbacks possess.

Former Virginia Tech standout Michael Vick holds the fastest time ever by a quarterback at the NFL Combine at 4.33 seconds. Willis didn’t participate at the NFL Combine in 2022, but he was timed at 4.37 in the 40-yard dash during his sophomore season at Auburn in 2019.

“You can always count on him picking up yardage with his legs,” LaFleur said of Willis. “He does a great job, he’s super athletic, and explosive.”

Willis will be a free agent after this season and could very well be in a different uniform in 2026. For at least one more year, though, the Packers should feel awfully good about their No. 2 quarterback.

They Said It …

“I don’t think when you bring a player in right at the cut down day … you expect him to start in a couple weeks and do what he did. So just, you know, really appreciative of his professionalism, and you know, just how prepared he was. So yeah … very appreciative of his, you know, his pro kind of the way he attacked things and really fit into our football team well.” — Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on Willis

“I’ve had a lot of time to just work hard and just grind every day in order to make use of my next opportunity. I think more than anything you just try to continue to work hard and understand that you don’t know when the opportunity will come, but you have to be ready for it when you get it.” — Willis on making the most of his chance in Green Bay

“I just cannot articulate the job that he’s done in this short period of time. People can’t fathom it. I promise you, you guys don’t get it. I know you think you got it, but you don’t get it. What he’s been able to do, I’ve never seen something like this. Hats off to him.” — Packers coach Matt LaFleur after Willis won his two starts in 2024

THE TOP 30

• No. 30 — RB MarShawn Lloyd

• No. 29 — WR Dontayvion Wicks

• No. 28 — S Javon Bullard

• No. 27 — WR Savion Williams

• No. 26 — LB Isaiah McDuffie

• No. 25 — OL Jordan Morgan

• No. 24 — WR Matthew Golden

• No. 23 — CB Carrington Valentine

• No. 22 — WR Romeo Doubs