The Green Bay Packers are in a pretty comfortable spot when it comes to their quarterback situation - at least at the top of the depth chart. Jordan Love has firmly established himself as the guy in Green Bay, coming off the best season of his young career in 2025. He’s under contract for the next few years, and if his trajectory continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him enter the Pro Bowl conversation or even the MVP race sooner rather than later.
But while the Packers are set with their starter, the backup role is a bit more of a question mark heading into the offseason. Malik Willis has held that spot for the past two seasons, but with free agency looming, there’s a real possibility he could be wearing a different uniform in 2026 - and potentially competing for a starting role elsewhere.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one team that’s already expressed interest in Willis is none other than the Minnesota Vikings. That’s right - the Packers’ division rival could be eyeing Green Bay’s backup as a potential solution to their own quarterback uncertainty.
It’s worth remembering that Minnesota made headlines last offseason when they passed on the opportunity to bring in former Packers legend Aaron Rodgers. Instead, they opted to roll with JJ McCarthy, a move that also led to Sam Darnold’s departure - and Darnold, of course, went on to win a Super Bowl with the Seahawks this past season.
Now, the Vikings are facing the same questions the rest of the league is asking: Is McCarthy really the answer? His 2025 stat line - 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions - certainly didn’t silence the doubters.
But according to Schefter, Minnesota isn’t ready to give up on him just yet. That’s likely why their pursuit of Willis comes with a caveat.
“If he goes to Minnesota, he’s not going to be the starter there,” Schefter said. “He’s not going to start out as the starter. He may wind up as the starter, whereas in the other places, he can sign on and be the starter.”
Translation: the Vikings are interested, but not ready to hand him the keys. They want to create a competition - McCarthy vs.
Willis - and let it play out. That’s understandable from a developmental standpoint, but it could also complicate their chances of landing Willis.
Here’s why: Willis is expected to command around $20 million per year on the open market. For a starting quarterback, that’s a bargain.
For a backup? That’s a tough sell.
If Minnesota wants him, they’ll likely need to pay close to that number - and paying that kind of money just to throw him into a competition with a second-year QB who struggled last season would raise some eyebrows.
So while the Vikings might be intrigued, it’s hard to see them pulling the trigger unless they’re ready to commit to Willis as the starter. And at this point, that doesn’t appear to be the plan.
That opens the door for other quarterback-needy teams to swoop in and offer Willis exactly what he’s looking for: a starting job and a contract to match. There are certainly franchises out there that could use a mobile, high-upside quarterback with starting experience and untapped potential.
As for the Packers, they’ll be watching closely - not just to see where Willis lands, but also to see how things unfold in Minnesota. With Love entrenched as the starter and the team looking to solidify its depth behind him, Green Bay will have some decisions to make of its own. But one thing’s for sure: the quarterback drama in the NFC North isn’t going away anytime soon.