Malik Willis has quietly built one of the most intriguing free-agent résumés heading into the 2026 offseason - and he didn’t even do it as a starter. After two seasons backing up Jordan Love in Green Bay, Willis is poised to compete for a starting job elsewhere. And while the Packers are set at QB1, teams like the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals are now circling, each with compelling reasons to make a move.
Let’s be clear: Willis didn’t just hold the clipboard in Green Bay - he made the most of every opportunity when his number was called. Over the past two seasons, he completed 70 of 89 passes, good for a blistering 78.7% completion rate.
That’s not just efficient, that’s surgical. He threw for 972 yards, six touchdowns, and - perhaps most importantly - zero interceptions.
Add in 261 rushing yards and three scores on the ground, and you’ve got a dual-threat quarterback who’s shown he can handle the moment.
Sure, it’s a small sample size, but it’s a meaningful one. Willis didn’t rack up these numbers in meaningless snaps. He stepped into high-leverage situations and delivered, which is why he’s now one of the most underrated quarterbacks available in free agency.
The Dolphins have been linked to Willis for a while now, and it’s easy to see why. Their new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, and head coach, Jeff Hafley, both came over from Green Bay and are plenty familiar with what Willis brings to the table. They even brought in Nathaniel Hackett as quarterbacks coach before he was scooped up by another team - which leads us to Arizona.
Hackett is now the offensive coordinator under new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur, and that pairing could be a game-changer in the Willis sweepstakes. LaFleur’s connection to his brother Matt - the Packers’ head coach - gives Arizona a direct line to in-depth insight on Willis’ development.
That kind of intel matters. It’s not just about tape; it’s about knowing how a player prepares, leads, and responds to adversity.
According to reports, both the Cardinals and Dolphins are expected to pursue Willis - if they can navigate the financial hurdles of moving on from their current starters. For Miami, that would mean parting ways with Tua Tagovailoa.
In Arizona, it’s Kyler Murray. Both moves would come with significant dead money hits, but if either team believes Willis is ready to take the reins, they might be willing to stomach the cap pain now in exchange for long-term stability.
That financial reality could also work in Willis’ favor. A multi-year deal with more guaranteed money up front could help a team manage the cap hit this season while locking in a potential starter at a reasonable rate over the next few years. It’s the kind of creative roster-building move that contenders - or teams on the cusp - are willing to make.
Meanwhile, the Packers are likely to benefit from Willis’ departure in the form of a compensatory pick. Based on his projected salary as a starter, Green Bay could be looking at a third-round comp pick in 2027. Of course, that also means they’ll need to address the backup quarterback spot behind Love - not a crisis, but a roster hole that will need attention.
For both the Cardinals and Dolphins, the timing makes sense. The 2026 NFL Draft isn’t considered strong at the quarterback position, and teams looking for a long-term answer under center may not find one through the college ranks this year. That makes a player like Willis - who’s already shown he can handle NFL speed, pressure, and complexity - a much more attractive option.
Bottom line: Malik Willis is no longer just a developmental project or a backup with upside. He’s a legitimate starting candidate, and two teams with inside knowledge of his game are now in position to make a serious run at him. If he lands in the right system, with coaches who already understand his strengths, he could be one of the offseason’s biggest difference-makers.