Did Malik Willis Prove He’s More Than Just a Backup QB?

The Green Bay Packers fell to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field for the first time since 2018 last night, and after QB Jordan Love went down with an injury following a high hit by Austin Booker of the Bears, former third round pick Malik Willis took the rest of the game on his shoulders, and it was somewhat of a statement game to say the least.

Back in 2022 Malik Willis was one of the few QB’s who were selected high up in the draft, and is part of what is deemed one of the worst QB draft classes in history. Willis was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round, and barely got a look in behind Ryan Tanehill and Will Levis, eventually leading to his departure to Green Bay where his career would eventually take off. Last year in the absence of Jordan Love, Willis got his fair share of game time, and highlighted some good stuff, showing why he really was never given a chance, and prior to last night only having a couple of snaps this season, his second half performance against the Bears was enough to make his presence known.

Willis came into the game leading, and with the job of coming into a hostile, cold, and overwhelming environment in Chicago, but nevertheless, he put up good numbers, and kept the Packers in the game. Willis was always known for being quick on his feet, and a very poised QB in all kinds of situations, something that never really was on show in Tennessee, but last night, the stats don’t lie, and he stepped up when it mattered the most.

The former Titan completed nine out of his 11 pass attempts last night, including a lot of deep balls in critical third down situations, not to mention his 44 rushing yards which turned out to be a massive advantage for the Packers offensively. Willis also threw for one touchdown, and showed the utmost professionalism when called upon, and in his mind it was his way of letting every team in the league know his story isn’t done yet.

Despite fumbling the ball from the snap in overtime which eventually led to the Bears winning the game, his performance really shouldn't be overlooked purely due to that, and he should take that game as a big positive step in his career. With Jordan Love’s timeline unknown as of yet, Willies may get another opportunity to prove himself again next week in another massive game, but that game last night really put into perspective how Malik Willis has been swept under the rug and not been given a chance at all. Out of what came out as a negative result, Willis was more than noticeable, and he should be a guy that teams in need of a QB are very wary of.