Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2025 season, leaving the front office with an obvious level of concern. Willis should be a very enticing option for a team looking for a bridge quarterback or for a potential starter to take a flyer on. There are numerous examples of this working around the league, with Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins being recent draft QBs who went on to become stars after a change of scenery.
For the Packers, you can add another team to the list of potential concerns with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport releasing details of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s injury. The starter is expected to miss the rest of the season, and his status for the 2026 season is now very much in question. This leaves the Falcons in a bind with their 2026 first-round selection already spent to acquire pass rusher James Pearce Jr.
As one Falcons fan pointed out on X, the franchise is likely going to explore bridge options, naming Kirk Cousins, Mac Jones, Joe Flacco, and Jacoby Brissett as potential fits. While this is a fair point, it ignores the potential upside of Willis and the enticing offer the Falcons could make. The Falcons could not only provide Willis a path to starting, but also the opportunity to do so in his hometown, as Willis is from College Park, Georgia.
Packers Have New Team to Compete with in Malik Willis' FA Decision
This is a discouraging reality for a Green Bay fan base that doesn't want to see Willis leave the franchise. As much respect as there might be for Jordan Love, there is no denying the excitement of what might happen whenever Willis steps into the lineup. The Packers are 6-2 in games that Willis has played, furthering the point that the backup carries incredible value.
A big reason for this can be found in how head coach Matt LaFleur has kept teams off balance by using the young quarterback's running ability, while still allowing him to take surprise shots down the field. Willis possesses all the necessary tools to be an exciting bridge quarterback, at least, and will garner attention not only from the Falcons but teams throughout the league looking for potential answers at QB.
For Willis, it will be difficult to turn down an opportunity to start, even if it comes with a failing franchise. Any competitor would want to be on the field instead of standing on the sidelines if given the choice. Despite that, the reasons for Willis to stay in Green Bay are obvious, with the franchise having rebuilt the image of a prospect who was viewed as a bust and expected to be on his way out of the league.
Now, Willis is an offseason commodity that the Packers would love to keep to help offer some level of stability behind Love. Regardless of the outcome, it is shaping up to be an interesting offseason for a quarterback whose prospects are already heating up.