Packers acquire former highly-touted quarterback ahead of roster cuts

The Green Bay Packers were not set with Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt at quarterback. On the eve of final roster cuts , the team sent a 2025 seventh-round pick to acquire Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans.

He is now expected to back up Jordan Love. It's not exactly clear what it means for Clifford and Pratt , but at least one of them (if not both) will presumably get cut by Tuesday.

Malik Willis is perceived as a first-round talent in 2022, but ended up falling to the third round. He started three games for the Titans as a rookie, and havd had 11 total appearances in games.

Willis has not been what the Titans expected, though. He completed only 53% of his passes, with zero touchdowns and three interceptions — a 49.4 passer rating.

This year, Tennessee will start Will Levis, a second-round pick in 2022, and it also signed Mason Rudolph to be the backup. Therefore, Willis became expendable.

As a 2022 third-round pick, Malik Willis is under is rookie contract through 2025. The Packers absord a $1.174 million salary in 2024 and $1.408 million in 2025, but nothing is guaranteed.

Track record

Brian Gutekunst has not been afraid of investing in the quarterback position. Right after he was promoted to general manager in 2018, he bought low to acquire former Cleveland Browns starter DeShone Kizer.

It's a similar move now, where the Packers pay a low amount to acquire a player who once was seen as a good prospect with a lot of physical talent.

Related: Green Bay Packers' 53-man roster prediction after the preseason finale