When Malik Willis first landed in Green Bay, he was a quarterback looking for a second chance. After a rocky stint with the Tennessee Titans-where the talent was always there, but the results just didn’t line up-Willis needed a place to reset, learn, and grow. The Packers gave him that runway.
And to his credit, Willis made the most of it.
Over two seasons in Green Bay, mostly backing up Jordan Love, Willis quietly transformed himself from a raw, athletic project into a polished, poised quarterback. He didn’t see the field often, but when he did, he flashed real growth-more accurate, more composed, and clearly more comfortable in the offense.
The big arm and dynamic mobility? Those were always part of the package.
But now, there’s a layer of maturity to his game that wasn’t there before.
Now, here’s the twist: the Packers helped build him into a potential starter, and they’re not going to be the ones to benefit from it.
Willis is hitting free agency, and he’s likely to command a starter-level contract-something Green Bay can’t justify paying to keep him as a backup behind Love. It’s a tough break for the Packers, who invested in his development but won’t get to cash in.
That’s the business of football, especially at quarterback. Only one guy gets the ball.
Enter the Miami Dolphins.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen is among those connecting the dots between Willis and Miami, and there’s a lot of logic behind the fit. Miami’s new leadership-head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan-both came over from Green Bay.
They know Willis. They’ve seen the work he’s put in.
And they might be ready to hand him the keys.
It helps that the Dolphins appear to be at a crossroads with Tua Tagovailoa. While Tua has had his moments in Miami, the momentum seems to be shifting. New regimes often mean new quarterbacks, and Willis could be the guy this one chooses to build around.
From a scheme standpoint, it makes sense. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is expected to bring a system that leans into motion, movement, and play-action-an ideal setup for a quarterback like Willis.
He’s dangerous on the move, both as a thrower and a runner, and that dual-threat capability can stress defenses in ways most quarterbacks can’t. A system designed to highlight those strengths could unlock a whole new level of production.
If this move happens-and if Willis thrives in Miami-it’ll be a bit of a bittersweet win for Green Bay. They’ll have played a major role in his development, only to watch him succeed somewhere else.
But that’s how it goes sometimes. You can’t keep everyone, especially at quarterback.
Still, it’s a testament to the work Willis has put in and the environment Green Bay provided. He may not be wearing green and gold anymore, but the player he’s become? That’s got Packers fingerprints all over it.