Trading for Malik Willis

[OldSchool101]

Miami just elevated former packer developmental 3rd stringer Tim Boyle over the weekend. He may even start next Monday night!?!?

Screw a team when they're desperate by taking their 2nd...this opportunity may not come around for a while.

Still have Clifford waiting in the wings...maybe a bit more humble and motivated?

Considering that Miami is in the AFC East with Jets and Buffalo and now lost Tua, I’d fully expect a 2025 2nd Rounder to be a Top 40 selection. I’d be all over that in a hypothetical situation. Thats potentially another player like Cooper or Reed etc. I’m all over that

My realistic bet would be we keep Malik and IF we traded him it would be 2025 or after. Probably still getting a later Day 2 or earlier Day 3 value + his services for another year.

I really see a scenario where we’d design some plays for Malik later this year or if we make the Postseason. Only way I’d trade him is if we look awful before trade deadline and someone ponies up a 4th straight up or swaps a 3rd rounder etc.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Jimmy G garnered a 2nd round pick for New England after playing well in 2 starts. I'd offer Willis to Miami for a 2nd rounder as soon as Love returns. Their "other option" is Trey Lance, and I'd think Willis offers much more upside.

Wouldn't take anything less right now, but would consider a 2nd or 1st swap during the draft in '25. Kid deserves a long-term chance to start somewhere.

I'd be happy with a 3rd or 4th for him. 2nd or higher would be unbelievable.

 

[gopkrs]

Jimmy G garnered a 2nd round pick for New England after playing well in 2 starts. I'd offer Willis to Miami for a 2nd rounder as soon as Love returns. Their "other option" is Trey Lance, and I'd think Willis offers much more upside.

Wouldn't take anything less right now, but would consider a 2nd or 1st swap during the draft in '25. Kid deserves a long-term chance to start somewhere.

Don't even get an extra player with a 1st round swap. And maybe he could win some games for them. 1st or 2nd based on results. Wins and losses. At least I'd like that better. But I don't mind keeping him for this year and next either.

 

[OldSchool101]

Just a Tidbit I came across

Across his first 2 starts Malik on 3rd down 12/17 190 yards 2TD’s
EIGHT of his 1st Downs were Passing at an incredible 11.2 per
#1 in the NFL

Malik added 5 Runs for 55 yards adding THREE more 1st downs Rushing for 11.0 per carry
#1 in the NFL

ELEVEN total-3rd down conversions in his 2 starts is #1 leaguewide across that span.

Not only were his 3rd Down numbers converted at the highest %, but they were also the highest per gain average leaguewide.

That elusiveness from College (in College Malik tied Lamar Jackson for most broken tackles in the last decade) has translated beautifully

Malik also broke a 100 year record (Red Dunn of the Chicago Cardinals 1925) for achieving TD’s through both ground and Air by a QB in system for 27 days. Dunn had held the record at 34 days in system against the Milwaukee Badgers

 

[Voyageur]

"if" the Packers traded Willis this season, based on his performances over two games, the best I'd think they'd hope for would be a 5th round pick that could slide up to a 4th, and possibly a 3rd, based on performance levels that would be agreed upon. That's not a bad deal for the Packers, if he does great with another team, but kind of sucks if he doesn't and they had a solid backup that was still under a small contract through 2025.

 

[OldSchool101]

"if" the Packers traded Willis this season, based on his performances over two games, the best I'd think they'd hope for would be a 5th round pick that could slide up to a 4th, and possibly a 3rd, based on performance levels that would be agreed upon. That's not a bad deal for the Packers, if he does great with another team, but kind of sucks if he doesn't and they had a solid backup that was still under a small contract through 2025.

Yeah. It’s fun to talk about but I don’t want to trade him. I still wonder if Malik can be used in some capacity as the former Packers “Taysom Hill” did in Nee Orleans. Malik is so dynamic with the ball in hand. He's really a QB and RB all in one. Willis Reminds me of the lateral speed of Keisean Nixon but a Turbo version going North n South. Plus he’s thicker and hard to take down. He stiff arms guys like a smaller TE and so he has speed, strength, arm talent, good instincts and he’s a great finisher.
There has to be a way they can get Malik and Jordan on that field simultaneously. I won’t pretend to know how to design some plays but if we’re not already considering that I think we’d be missing out.

 

[Voyageur]

Yeah. It’s fun to talk about but I don’t want to trade him. I still wonder if Malik can be used in some capacity as the former Packers “Taysom Hill” did in Nee Orleans. Malik is so dynamic with the ball in hand. He's really a QB and RB all in one. Willis Reminds me of the lateral speed of Keisean Nixon but a Turbo version going North n South. Plus he’s thicker with a string-low center gravity so he’s hard to take down
There has to be a way they can get Malik and Jordan on that field simultaneously. They could pitch it to him with an option to throw etc. idk but he’s obviously a very talented athlete.

Willis has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40, so your point about his running skills is accurate. He also has the size, and can take hits. There's value in him beyond just sitting on the bench waiting for Love get dinged.

It's going to be interesting seeing where it does go.

 

[OldSchool101]

Willis has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40, so your point about his running skills is accurate. He also has the size, and can take hits. There's value in him beyond just sitting on the bench waiting for Love get dinged.

It's going to be interesting seeing where it does go.

Yep.
There’s also that difference between a player who runs a 4.4 at combine and a player that can put pads on and maintain that. It was kinda funny I saw an interview with Elgton Jenkins and he was speaking to how he would get out in front of Malik to make a block and when Malik ran by him he was surprised how fast he was.

It reminds me of Deebo Samuel as he ran a 4.48X 40 yard at combine but he’s still around that with weight of pads on at like 5’11X 215 pounds.

 

[OldSchool101]

Malik Willis Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

www.nfl.com

His NFL draft rating was a 6.41??
I had no idea until now. Thats actually a really high score. Lance had him pegged in Round 1. I think the school (Liberty) was a ding along with questions on adaptability to the Pro game.
I think he’s adapted quite Well!!
Zierlein said he’d be in that Hurts to Lamar range. Wow.


He also had a 32 Wonderlic score. So a 35 would be “near genius” A 40 is top 1% of testing.

50/50 we got us a rare Jewel. Let Clements work on him a year or two and then sell him at top Market price!!
We’re going to be rich! RICH I tell ya!
We struck oil Jed! Go tell Granny

 

[tynimiller]

Malik Willis Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

www.nfl.com

His NFL draft rating was a 6.41??
I had no idea until now. Thats actually a really high score.

He also had a 32 Wonderlic score. So a 35 would be “near genius” A 40 is top 1% of testing.

Malik was QB1 by many pundits in his draft.

Dude is no fly by nighter for sure.

 

[OldSchool101]

Malik was QB1 by many pundits in his draft.

Dude is no fly by nighter for sure.

Amen.
Seems like he’s gotten that couple years he needed

 

[Magooch]

Willis’ time with us thus far has gone far better than expected. Probably well beyond even what LaFleur and Gute and Co could’ve even thought would happen. With that in mind - knowing how bad things could’ve been without Love (and having to play Clifford or Pratt or whoever else we could scrape up) and how well things went over the last two games with Malik - I think at this point it would have to take a seriously embarrassing offer-you-can’t-refuse type of package for us to even consider trading him midseason now.

 

[Voyageur]

I think something that's been pointed out in this thread is important. Willis is a smart kid. His Wonderlic score indicates that. That's exactly why he could absorb as much as he did to take the reins in the game against the Colts. He is smart enough to digest more than the majority of guys can.

It's also why there were a lot of new wrinkles added to the game plan against the Titans, and if the Packers are smart, they have him working on expanding it more, if for any reason Love isn't ready to play 100%.

If he does replace Love against the Vikings, and if they do win the game, it's going to be difficult going forward, because as soon as Love loses a game, a lot of fans are going to be screaming for Willis to be handed the job, and quite frankly, I don't believe his high end is as high as that which we can get with Love.

But, oh what value he'd be if he did play against the Vikings and scorched them.

 

[OldSchool101]

I think something that's been pointed out in this thread is important. Willis is a smart kid. His Wonderlic score indicates that. That's exactly why he could absorb as much as he did to take the reins in the game against the Colts. He is smart enough to digest more than the majority of guys can.

It's also why there were a lot of new wrinkles added to the game plan against the Titans, and if the Packers are smart, they have him working on expanding it more, if for any reason Love isn't ready to play 100%.

If he does replace Love against the Vikings, and if they do win the game, it's going to be difficult going forward, because as soon as Love loses a game, a lot of fans are going to be screaming for Willis to be handed the job, and quite frankly, I don't believe his high end is as high as that which we can get with Love.

But, oh what value he'd be if he did play against the Vikings and scorched them.

IF and it’s a huge IF. Malik were to 3-peat that performance against another top 10 Defense? I’m not even sure you could put a value on that? I’d still offer a guess. A Round 3 selection if traded next season.

Now any future trade deal is all hypothetical AND sample size is still small. Yet these type QB situations do not come up very often. We’ve seen a backup QB come in and win a few games convincingly, but it’s still relatively rare. One of the more prominent examples imo is Jimmy G at New England. He had a slightly larger sample size, but he eventually was traded before deadline to SF49ers for a 2nd Round selection in the following draft.

IMO, as it stands, Malik Willis would command a 3rd Rounder if traded mid season 2025. Maybe at best elevating to a 2nd Rounder for some performance metric tied to it. I can’t imagine anything less than a 4th Rounder, I’d rather just keep him as our backup for a couple years. It would take a 2nd Round selection today to peel him from my hands and it better be AFC

 

[Voyageur]

IF and it’s a huge IF. Malik were to 3-peat that performance against another top 10 Defense? I’m not even sure you could put a value on that.

Now any future trade deal is all hypothetical AND sample size is still small. Yet these type QB situations do not come up very often. We’ve seen a backup QB come in and win a few games convincingly, but it’s still somewhat rare. QB is the highest graded position by a mile so having a chance at even one that can be a league average starter is very valuable. Newly drafted Top 5 overall selections really don’t give you much better odds than one who is currently playing lights out.

Purdy and even Tom Brady made it clear that QB come in all shapes and sizes. Draft Round is NOT a guarantee of future success. It helps but there’s plenty of non Day 1 selections that had great careers.

Speaking of the rounds drafted in, Bart Starr was picked by the Packers in the 17th round.

 

[Schultz]

IF and it’s a huge IF. Malik were to 3-peat that performance against another top 10 Defense? I’m not even sure you could put a value on that? I’d still offer a guess. A Round 3 selection if traded next season.

Now any future trade deal is all hypothetical AND sample size is still small. Yet these type QB situations do not come up very often. We’ve seen a backup QB come in and win a few games convincingly, but it’s still relatively rare. One of the more prominent examples imo is Jimmy G at New England. He had a slightly larger sample size, but he eventually was traded before deadline to SF49ers for a 2nd Round selection in the following draft.

IMO, as it stands, Malik Willis would command a 3rd Rounder if traded mid season 2025. Maybe at best elevating to a 2nd Rounder for some performance metric tied to it. I can’t imagine anything less than a 4th Rounder, I’d rather just keep him as our backup for a couple years. It would take a 2nd Round selection today to peel him from my hands and it better be AFC

How quickly we forget Tommy DeVito.

 

[OldSchool101]

How quickly we forget Tommy DeVito.

Yeah he’s another good example.
He at least gave them a chance to win. Had to revisit him but 3-3 wasnt too shabby.

For whatever reason others backup QB’s played good in GB. Damn Barry!!

 

[King of Jeans]

I think we hold him for now imo. A solid backup in this league is crucial, as we are seeing firsthand. 1 and a half good games probably not enough to net a solid return.

 

[Thirteen Below]

The Packers really have a class act guy in Willis.

x.com

x.com

I love this kid, just love him. Packer People through and through. I feel really good that he'll be here for 2 whole seasons.

Edit: 2/3 of my post was redundant, because there were 2 dozen posts discussing what I was talking about. I'll just stand pat on "I love Willis".

That is all.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I think something that's been pointed out in this thread is important. Willis is a smart kid. His Wonderlic score indicates that. That's exactly why he could absorb as much as he did to take the reins in the game against the Colts. He is smart enough to digest more than the majority of guys can.

It's also why there were a lot of new wrinkles added to the game plan against the Titans, and if the Packers are smart, they have him working on expanding it more, if for any reason Love isn't ready to play 100%.

If he does replace Love against the Vikings, and if they do win the game, it's going to be difficult going forward, because as soon as Love loses a game, a lot of fans are going to be screaming for Willis to be handed the job, and quite frankly, I don't believe his high end is as high as that which we can get with Love.

But, oh what value he'd be if he did play against the Vikings and scorched them.

I don't think it would take a Love loss for the fans to be calling for Willis. It would take that AND Love playing like crap in the same game.

 

[Voyageur]

I don't think it would take a Love loss for the fans to be calling for Willis. It would take that AND Love playing like crap in the same game.

I think you're right. It would have to be more. Most fans would understand he's playing at less than 100%, and would obviously have rust as well.

 

[sschind]

I don't think it would take a Love loss for the fans to be calling for Willis. It would take that AND Love playing like crap in the same game.

But there are fans saying Willis should get the start even if Love is healthy. I think most of them are just upset that we gave Love that contract after only half a season and they want to be proven right.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I think you're right. It would have to be more. Most fans would understand he's playing at less than 100%, and would obviously have rust as well.

I mean 3 weeks from now if he's 3-8 23 yards and 2 turnovers at halftime Willis is comin' in.....

 

[Voyageur]

But there are fans saying Willis should get the start even if Love is healthy. I think most of them are just upset that we gave Love that contract after only half a season and they want to be proven right.

I don't know of anyone who is saying their ticked off because Love is getting his contract and want Willis to replace him. But, I suppose there might be someone out there saying it. I also don't know of anyone who is saying Willis should start even if Love is healthy. But, again, there might be someone out there. Maybe Willis's Momma?

But, being healthy is a relative term. At what point in his recover will Love really be able to take on the QB reins effectively, without it being a detriment to the team? At what point can he come back, and not have his throwing rhythm and footwork screwed up, by favoring that knee? At what point will he still make the throws he is, not allowing them to become INTs? Lots of things to be considered here.

Fortunately, none of us are making that decision. I think it's on the medical staff and the coaching staff, in conjunction with how Love feels he's progressing.

 

[sschind]

I don't know of anyone who is saying their ticked off because Love is getting his contract and want Willis to replace him. But, I suppose there might be someone out there saying it. I also don't know of anyone who is saying Willis should start even if Love is healthy. But, again, there might be someone out there. Maybe Willis's Momma?

But, being healthy is a relative term. At what point in his recover will Love really be able to take on the QB reins effectively, without it being a detriment to the team? At what point can he come back, and not have his throwing rhythm and footwork screwed up, by favoring that knee? At what point will he still make the throws he is, not allowing them to become INTs? Lots of things to be considered here.

Fortunately, none of us are making that decision. I think it's on the medical staff and the coaching staff, in conjunction with how Love feels he's progressing.

I've read comments of the very sort. Not so much the contract part, that was more my speculation but certainly those who think Willis had earned the right to keep the starting job. Facebook comment sections are full of them.