Malik Willis is walking into Miami with no real room to settle in.
The former Packers backup, who followed Jeff Haffley to the Dolphins this offseason, is getting a shot to start because of the work he and Matt LaFleur put in during his time in Green Bay. But even with that opportunity, CBS Sports is already treating Willis like a quarterback under pressure heading into the 2026 season.
That may sound like a leap for Packers fans still locked in on Jordan Love and Green Bay’s own outlook, but the situation in Miami explains it. Willis is in a division with Josh Allen and Drake Maye, and he’s joining a Dolphins roster that has already lost Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. That leaves a lot less firepower around him, and a lot less cover if things go sideways.
The pressure is real, and the patience is limited. Miami fans are used to a very different kind of skill-position talent, and Willis does not have the kind of résumé that buys time. He’s being asked to prove himself quickly in an offense that already had plenty of issues.
Willis’ career numbers show just how little he has had to work with so far: 1,322 passing yards, six touchdowns and 405 rushing yards. The bigger question now is how much of a starter the Packers helped turn him into after he seemed to stall out with the Titans in his first season there.
Green Bay still has a reason to keep one eye on this. The organization invested in Willis, and Jeff Haffley’s presence in Miami adds another layer to the story. The move has put both men far away from the NFC North and into the AFC East, where Packers fans can only hope the next chapter turns into something unexpected.
For now, though, Willis is a quarterback who will be judged fast. Every big throw will get amplified, and every mistake will do the same. That’s the reality when a player with this little track record is handed a starting job and told to make it work.
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MarShawn Lloyd Puts A New Packers Camp Question In Focus
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Lloyd has sounded encouraged about where he stands physically and how ready he feels to help, which only sharpens the question facing the Packers now. Josh Jacobs remains the clear lead back, but if Lloyd can stay on the field and keep building through camp, Green Bay will have a decision to make about how much room there is for him in the rotation and how quickly that chance can arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Nickel Depth Problem They Didnt Expect
The Packers nickel picture got a lot murkier in a hurry during practice, when a pair of defensive backs were forced out and the team suddenly had to start sorting through its slot options. Green Bay has been leaning on Javon Bullard as the starting slot corner, and with his status now uncertain, the ripple effect reached quickly into the rest of the secondary.
Johnathan Baldwin, who had been part of the conversation for depth at the position, was also moved off the roster with an injury designation after a knee issue in practice. That leaves the Packers weighing alternatives behind Bullard, with Kitan Oladapo and Keisean Nixon among the names that could be asked to help stabilize the backup nickel role if the situation lingers. [Read more 🡒]