Is Malik Willis a legitimate NFL starter?

Malik Willis enters the open market as one of the NFL’s most intriguing and confusing players. When he started his career in Tennessee in the 2022 season, he looked like the next bust to get washed out of the league relatively quickly.

That was the case for Willis, at least for the first couple of years of his career.

Things changed in 2024, when he was traded to the Green Bay Packers to back up franchise quarterback Jordan Love.

He was quickly thrust into action when Love got injured in the team’s opener against the Philadelphia Eagles in Sao Paulo.

Willis was nothing short of brilliant, leading the Packers to back-to-back wins despite having less than a month to familiarize himself with Matt LaFleur's offense.

So is he a legit starting quarterback in the NFL, who can lead an offense in a full 17-game season?

The short answer is, I don’t know.

Here’s why.

The Packers system brought out the best in Willis. His supporting cast between the Titans and the Packers had drastic differences. Willis went from being behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL to one of the best.

He also went from Todd Downing to Matt LaFleur as his play caller. Since being fired from Tennessee, Downing has bounced around the league with the Jets and the Patriots, serving as the passing game coordinator and the wide receivers coach, respectively.

LeFleur kept things simple when Willis was at the helm. He called run plays 60% of the time and designed many option plays and short completions for Willis.

This is not to discredit Malik. He was extremely accurate on balls thrown for over 20 yards. He was 13-of-16 for 456 yards and had a perfect 158.3 passer rating, so there’s absolutely a lot to like.

Willis’s phone is going to be buzzing as a plethora of teams are searching for their next franchise guy, and since this year's NFL draft produces one of the weakest classes we’ve seen since probably Willis’s 2022 class, teams are going to be eager to nab him once the market opens.

The best fit is undoubtedly the Arizona Cardinals, only if they can find a suitor for Kyler Murray.

New head coach Mike LaFleur is the brother of Matt LaFleur, and both came from the now-illustrious Sean McVay coaching tree.

Cardinals' new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett spent three years under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay.

The system makes sense, and he could develop a connection with Marvin Harrison Jr.

Another team that makes sense is the Miami Dolphins. With Jeff Hafley now at the helm in South Beach, and Tua Tagovailoa sure to be either cut or traded, this makes sense.

The only issue here is that the weapons and the offensive line are less than ideal for Willis.

Regardless of where he ends up, he’s sure to get a lucrative deal, likely worth around $20-30 million per year.

It’s a true hit or miss situation, as there are a few notable players to get similar contracts after just starting a handful of games in their careers.

One name that stands out is Mike Glennon. He earned a three-year, $45 million deal after just 18 career starts, and well, the rest is history.

So, will Malik Willis pan out? Only time will tell, but with the right system and a solid core, he could be the next quarterback to turn his career around.

Sawyer Bogaty is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email him at sgb5468@psu.edu.