Malik Willis has been a very reliable backup quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Whenever Jordan Love missed time over the past two seasons, Willis stepped in without a problem. He handled the job smoothly and gave the team confidence.
Now, things could be changing. Willis is a pending free agent. Keeping him in Green Bay may not be realistic. He has played well enough to attract attention from other teams, and that will likely come with a bigger paycheck than the Packers can offer.
Mark Oldacres of Packers Wire put it simply: Willis has “priced himself out of being Green Bay’s backup.” That seems to be the truth.
Over the last two seasons, Willis has taken advantage of meaningful playing time. That experience has set him up for a good contract in free agency. He may even have the chance to compete for a starting job somewhere in 2026.
To put it in perspective, starting quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers made $13.65 million per year last season. Daniel Jones was just above that. Justin Fields earned around $20 million. That shows the gap in pay compared to a backup role in Green Bay.
The Packers could try to bring Willis back, but it would likely be a short-term deal at backup money. There’s no guarantee he would accept that if other teams offer a starting position.
Willis is clearly talented enough to compete for a starting job somewhere. He’ll probably make decent money doing so. Green Bay, meanwhile, will have to figure out a solution at backup quarterback and prepare to say goodbye to him.