With Jordan Love Sidelined for the Packers, Malik Willis Gets His NFL Spotlight

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The last four weeks have truly been transformational for Malik Willis. In mid-August, the 25-year-old was a third-string quarterback for a mediocre Tennessee Titans squad projected to be a last-place team. The Green Bay Packers gave up a seventh-round draft pick to bring in Willis to be the backup behind starter Jordan Love. Now, after Love suffered an MCL injury in last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Willis will be the Packers’ starting quarterback Sunday in their home opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

So... Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love to Malik Willis.

Sure.

The news for Love and the Packers could have been much worse. Love, who signed a lucrative contract extension in the offseason after playing brilliantly down the stretch in 2023, went down on the team’s final possession of Friday night’s loss in Brazil. It was feared he might be lost for the season, but the diagnosis turned out to be manageable. Love is expected to miss 3-6 weeks, though it’s leaning closer to three than six.

For a team that’s expected to be a playoff contender, the next three weeks without Love are critical. After hosting the Colts this week, Green Bay plays at the Titans in Week 3 — the Malik Willis Revenge Game! — and then home vs. the Vikings.

If Love were healthy, everybody would have the Packers penciled in at 3-1 heading into a Week 5 road game against the Rams. Now? It’s anyone’s guess. It’s rare to see Green Bay listed as an underdog in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field, yet that’s the case Sunday against an 0-1 Colts team.

Many observers expected the Packers to bring in a veteran off the street to help out. The name that was thrown out there the most was former Titans QB Ryan Tannehill. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was asked on Monday if that was discussed.

“No, despite reports. It’s crazy to me how people come up with some of these things,” LaFleur said. “You always explore every possibility but at no point in time did we ever have any discussions with anybody.”

So the Packers will roll, ironically, with the player who the Titans drafted to replace Tannehill (Willis was a third-round pick out of Liberty in 2022). And it’s not as if the team felt any veteran they signed wouldn’t have enough time to learn the system. Willis has barely been there much longer.

“He’s put a lot of time and effort into this thing,” LaFleur said. “He’s grinded. He’s learned the terminology and is able to spit out the play calls. And we got confidence in him. I think, if he’s given a full week of preparation, a full week of practice, I’ve got confidence that he’ll go out there and perform at a high level.”

Green Bay didn’t even think it was necessary to sign a veteran to be Willis’ backup. That role falls upon Sean Clifford, a 2023 fifth-round pick who entered the preseason as Love’s No. 2 but clearly did not impress the coaches this summer. Thus the trade for Willis in August. Clifford had been relegated to the practice squad but he’ll be active Sunday.

As for Willis, this is his chance to join Brock Purdy among the bright spots of a miserable 2022 quarterback class . The former third-round pick started three games as a rookie with Tennessee, going 1-2. Seeing limited action in 11 games for the Titans, Willis completed 35 of 66 passes (53%) for 350 yards, with zero touchdowns and three interceptions. Tennessee saw enough of Willis to make the decision to draft Will Levis last year.

No matter what Willis does the next few weeks, don’t expect a Wally Pipp scenario. LaFleur didn’t give any specifics about Love’s return, but he definitely seemed relieved about the prognosis.

“Thankfully, we got some relatively good news,” he said.

Still, for a team that some experts thought had a chance to reach the Super Bowl this season, Willis is suddenly a critical character in the story.

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