Jordan Love injury: What does backup Malik Willis bring to the table and how can Packers get most out of QB?

The Packers have famously enjoyed a seamless Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love quarterback lineage now for more than 30 years, and while present-day starter Malik Willis is simply and unequivocally a stand-in for Love while his knee recovers, it’s time to evaluate what he’ll bring to the field as Green Bay’s spot starter over the next month, especially because the Packers traded for him in August.

Willis was a third-round pick by the Titans in 2022 out of Liberty, despite being rumored throughout the draft season to be selected in the first round. After sitting behind Ryan Tannehill as a rookie and Will Levis in 2023, he was then entrenched in a backup battle with veteran Mason Rudolph — who has a markedly different skill set than Willis — before the trade. 

Willis comes with unadulterated athleticism, a live arm, and general rawness at the quarterback position. He’s only 25 and has attempted 67 regular-season passes, with 61 of said attempts coming as a rookie in 2022. 

But he has demonstrated signs of development in each of the past two preseasons, and I’ll highlight his performances from the 2024 preseason here. Sensible, because it’s the most recent time we’ve seen him play. 

I wouldn’t characterize Willis’ arm as elite, but it’s probably near the bottom of the tier directly below the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Anthony Richardson and Co. He can really spin the football. 

Check the velocity, trajectory, and overall placement on this 35-yard touchdown in the preseason against the Saints. 

Nearly 45 yards on a line, with just enough arc to track over the cornerback in coverage, and it arrived before the deep middle safety could make a play on the football. And those type of throws, with the velocity cranked to the max, are littered all across his film, to all levels of the field. And Willis has always had the fastball locked and loaded. If anything, that…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jordan-love-injury-what-does-backup-malik-willis-bring-to-the-table-and-how-can-packers-get-most-out-of-qb/

Author : Chris Trapasso

Publish date : 2024-09-12 11:37:07

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.