Malik Willis, Quarterback
Malik Willis helped win the Packers several games last season after stepping in for an injured Jordan Love, but trading him may still be the right move.
When Love went down in the season opener, Willis didn’t flinch. He started the next two games and guided Green Bay to a pair of gritty, grind-it-out wins.
His number was called again in Week 8 after another Love injury. It wasn’t always pretty, but the results speak for themselves—Green Bay went 3-0 in meaningful games Willis played last season (we'll ignore the season finale against the Chicago Bears since it didn't hurt their playoff positioning).
Not bad for a quarterback they snagged for a measly seventh-round pick right before the season started.
Now, the Packers may have a chance to flip him for a much higher return. Willis proved himself as one of the better backups in the NFL, completing 74.1 percent of his passes for 550 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
His mobility also brought a new wrinkle to the offense. He ran for 138 yards and another score, turning broken plays into opportunities. When things got muddy, he danced through the chaos and moved the chains.
He's set to hit unrestricted free agency next season and will command a much higher salary. The Packers could potentially recuperate a compensatory pick for losing him, but it wouldn't come until 2027.
The conservative route would be to keep him in Green Bay as insurance behind Love. But if a quarterback-needy team is willing to pay up—say, a Day 2 pick—the Packers should strike while the iron’s hot. They bought low. Now they can sell high.