Malik Willis‘ Titans tenure will end after his third preseason with the team. Tennessee’s new regime will move on from the former Jon Robinson-era draftee.
The Titans are trading Willis to the Packers, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports. Tennessee will pick up a 2025 seventh-rounder from Green Bay. Two years remain on the former third-rounder’s rookie contract. Willis heads to a Packers team with some uncertainty behind Jordan Love.
Rumored as a potential first-round pick, Willis endured one of the more memorable draft-weekend slides in recent NFL history. As part of a maligned 2022 quarterback class, the Liberty product slid to No. 86. Willis’ performances with the Titans did well to justify the league’s hesitancy, even as high-profile draft gurus viewed him as a player who was bound for a first- or second-round draft destination. The Packers will take what amounts to a flier, given the trade compensation.
Willis competed with free agency addition Mason Rudolph for the Titans’ backup job this summer. Rudolph, who joined the team on a one-year deal worth $2.87MM, was believed to be in the lead. This will leave the Titans with a question regarding their third-string QB, as only Rudolph and Will Levis are now on the roster. But this cuts the cord on Robinson’s QB options — during an offseason in which Ran Carthon has made sweeping changes on offense.
With Levis also developing, Willis did not make too much sense on Tennessee’s roster any longer. Rudolph is in place as a veteran backup, and after Brian Callahan said the team would let the process play out through the preseason, the Titans figure to be in the QB3 market once the waiver wire presents options.
The Titans’ offense ground to a halt when Willis replaced Ryan Tannehill in 2022. The then-rookie completed just 50.8% of his passes, as Mike Vrabel turned to run-heavy game scripts when the former Auburn recruit was taking snaps. Willis went 1-2 as a Tannehill relief option that year and finished with 10- and 16-pass starts. After a 14-for-23 outing in a loss to the then-lowly Texans, Vrabel demoted him for Josh Dobbs, whom the Titans signed off the Lions’ practice squad late that season. Willis threw just five more regular-season passes as a Titan.
Willis, 25, came to Tennessee after two dominant seasons at Liberty. He finished with a 47-18 TD-INT ratio from 2020-21 at the mid-major program, after not beating out Jarrett Stidham at Auburn. Willis also posted 944- and 878-yard rushing seasons with his second program, totaling 27 rushing TDs. He will attempt to restart his development under Matt LaFleur.
LaFleur has not seen strong returns from Love backups Sean Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt. Both struggled against the Broncos during the preseason’s second week, with LaFleur expressing disappointment (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) about that effort in a 27-2 loss. Willis will likely back up Love, Schefter adds, though it would stand to be challenging for that setup to commence immediately due to Clifford’s knowledge of LaFleur’s system. But the incumbent is undoubtedly on notice. The Packers used a 2023 fifth-round pick on Clifford and are now guaranteed to cut either he or Pratt — and that is only if the team keeps three passers.
Lottery ticket
Why? He is no better than the garbage they all ready have at backup QB.
Well, this is a franchise that thinks they are good at developing QBs. Emphasis on thinks.
Back to back HoF QB’s with around 30 years of winning is a bad track record? Followed up by #3 almost taking them to the SB?
I ‘think’ you should know their history before commenting.
back to back HOF QBs and two super bowls. you’d think they’d have a few more than that in 30 years. apparently can’t develop a QB who can win big games
So the qb’s that are in the HOF and have no super bowls are no good?? Christ the Other Manning has 2 and he was a toilet!!!!!
They’re in a division where one rival hasn’t won a Super Bowl in 39 years, another has never won one & hasn’t even been there since disco was popular, and the other team hasn’t won a championship since trading Bobby Layne in the 50’s. I’m not usually one to gloat, I love the whole league & it’s history, but I’m quite proud to be a life long fan of the team that had two quarterbacks start the majority of it’s games from 1992-2022, & won two Super Bowls.
@Dangard according to wjf010’s Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon were HoF QBs while Jim
Kelly, Warren Moon, Dan Marino, and Dan Fouts were all hot garbage because they never won it all.
What an ignorant comment. You are either trolling or don’t know the game.
Them winning superbowls or not has zero to do with their ability to develop QBs. Do you think Dan Marino was a garbage QB because he never got a ring? Absolute brainrot opinion.
I do know their history, and if this was the MLB, neither of those guys would be in the hall of fame. As pointed out already, the packers play in a division that is the worst in football, and it’s not close.
Reading comprehension is key, as I clearly was talking about development and not results, but even so, 2 Super Bowl wins in 30 years while rostering “hall of fame” QBs is not good. Now throw in love, who spent how many years on the bench, to have a half a good season. Congrats, in 4 years you got a guy who ran into some luck and got way further than they should have, and way further than they will get anytime in the near future.
The packers weren’t almost in the Super Bowl, they didn’t have a hope or prayer of winning that championship game.
I guess we’ll find out next week how quickly Malik Willis can learn a playbook. I’m betting they’re just gonna activate Clifford from the practice squad to back him up, but if they sign Ryan Tannehill by Friday then we’ll know something is wrong.
By the way, I think the Falcons just helped make a strong case for the NFC South being the weakest division. They gave Kirk Cousins a 4 year, $180 million deal so Drake London could produce 2 catches for 15 yards today, along with Kyle Pitts 3 catches for 26 yards & a touchdown. The Saints only put up 47 points because Carolina is that bad.
Brett Favre
Aaron Rodgers
Matt Hasselbeck
Mark Brunell
Aaron Brooks
Ty Detmer
Bears:
Rex Grossman
Kyle Orton
Cade McNown
Don’t forget J Culter. Also that ‘D Bears leading passer was from the 50’s(?) era.
They didn’t develop Jay Cutler though, he was already developed when they traded for him. Just shows you how poor their track record really is!
Every single one of the guys that the franchise had that drafted them and coached them and developed them are gone. It’s a new regime so it doesn’t matter who the organization developed in the past because it’s a totally different bunch running th3 show now.
That’s a pathetic excuse. The front offices churned during both Farve and Rodgers time. But they are back to back HoF QB’s.
If nothing else, Sexy Rexy did get Da Bears to a Super Bowl.
Nah, that defense and special teams did, in spite of Gross Man
Solid value for a seventh-round pick. He has game experience and costs next to nothing for two years. I was hoping the Bills would have made that trade.
Jordan Love out for the season with broken arm confirmed
Packers led by Willis to Super Bowl confirmed
delusional, packers are going to regress big time this year. No easy schedule like last year.
Packers are an organization that can get something out of Willis, nice place for him to end up.
Just realized Tennessee may very well claim Bears’ 4th QB Austin Reed, not only because of his passing acumen while at nearby @ Western KY, but also for the intel value he can provide preparing for their Week 1 matchup.
I’d protect and carry Reed as QB3 all year were I in Poles shoes, as Reed looked great in preseason and profiles very closely with Bagent. One or the other could bring back a high pick in trade potentially.
This was the right move. The two developmental QBs they have played like poo. Why not take a shot in a different developmental qb.
I agree although I’ll note Clifford makes some solid plays but he’s just not consistent yet at a pro level. He’s basically a poor man’s Ryan Tannehill
I still think Pratt is ultimately the second best quarterback on this roster. I don’t think Willis can even fill in at the NFL level.
As a Steelers fan, I hope Rudolph eventually gets the QB job and leads the Titans into the playoffs. Poetic justice
Damn they actually did it lmao
I remember when the click-baiting mock draft dolts thought Detroit should take him in the first round. He busts in Tennessee and goes for the draft equivalent of a pound of bratwurst.
Here is NFL dot com having Willis go 2nd overall to Detroit.
link to nfl.com
Clifford is history, maybe Pratt serves as QB2 week one if Willis can’t get up to speed with the playbook in the next two weeks but it’s only a matter of time before Willis serves as QB2 and Pratt who clearly has more upside than Clifford will serve as the emergency QB on game day on the Practice Squad
It’s hilarious that so many people were mad he didn’t go 1st round and fell all the way to 3rd round and then he gets traded for a 7th rounder when hes still on his rookie deal. Trey Lance type of bust, he just cost 10 cents on the dollar to become a bust.
Because people watch college football and know that NFL coaching and development also helps, but you don’t apparently.
Are you hoping his 2nd nfl team works out like his 2nd college team? You must be for being so salty. He’s a mid tier qb under the greatest coaching of all time best case scenario. Scouts who gave 1st round grades for him failed miserably.
A lot of people who say stuff like that around draft time maybe watch 3 college football games a year if that and give their opinions based on either what tv analysts say or the youtube videos they watch argue. It was no different when Richardson was drafted where a bunch of Gators fans were happy he was gone yet a bunch of NFL fans who simply read about him or watched the combine had no clue his performance in the SEC was mediocre at best and he was not someone with a history of winning games.
Willis has a ton of physical talent, tremendous arm talent and obviously outstanding speed athleticism and running ability as a quarterback. With LeFleur and QB coach Tom Clements, one of the best in the business and the position coach Aaron Rodger’s credits as his best QB coach in his career to work with Willis he has the best chance he’s ever had to develop into the kind of quarterback some thought he could become coming out of Liberty. Clearly he’s still raw but you can see the growth in his accuracy and feel for the game during this preseason. This is a brilliant move by Gutey… potential lottery jackpot but worst case scenario you’re still getting a significant upgrade at QB2
The Packers needed to do something at the backup QB position. If I were them I would have picked up someone like Trevor Siemian – a guy who “might” win them a game if Love needs to miss a start.
Siemian is a guy who would more likely throw a pick six in the final minute to cost the Packers a game.
Malik isn’t broken yet so GB may still be able to fix him up which could then get flipped for a higher pick like a 5th.
Yeah, it seems pretty clear that the idea here was to take a flyer on a guy they might be able to develop down the road. If they were seeking some QB insurance they could use immediately, they would have pursued a veteran.
The likelihood Willis amounts to anything is slim. The other QB back ups aren’t worth much or haven’t shown the coaches much. Giving up a 7th round pick isn’t much on a gamble he is better than what they have now.
Love goes down, the Packers are in a world of hurt just like when Rodgers was here.
Favre always had solid QBs, as it turns out, behind him. He just never got hurt.
This trade is a lot of nothing.
The reason Willis slid as far as he did wasn’t based on talent or off the field problems, it was because he could understand and execute a playbook. It’s the reason he had to leave Auburn, and at Liberty he got by on athletic talent alone. The simplified playbook was still too much for him to handle.
When he was brought in for pre draft meetings, it was so obvious to the GMs he could not process and understand things like defenses, read progression and audibles. Why do you think Vrabel became run heavy and threw the ball as little as possible when Willis played? A 50.8% completion percentage is not even acceptable at the HS level anymore.
So for all those Giants fans that were yelling “All aboard the Malik Willis Express” and chanting for him to be drafted in the 1st round. How is that looking now?