Malik Willis Has Way More To Gain Than To Lose Against Indianapolis

The Green Bay Packers would not have made the playoffs in 2024 if it were not for Malik Willis. He played a huge role in leading them to a 2-0 record while Jordan Love was out with a sprained MCL. Moreover, he came through with a clutch game-winning drive against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8 after Green Bay sat Love as a precaution for a groin injury.

Willis also got on the field in the fourth quarter of Week 16 against the New Orleans Saints and played most of the Week 18 finale against the Chicago Bears. He made the most of his opportunities, boosting his stock and revitalizing his career after the Tennessee Titans had moved on from him as their starting quarterback heading into 2024. Given that he never reached 100 passing yards with Tennessee and faced the real possibility of falling out of the league entirely, his turnaround in Green Bay was significant.

Now, heading into his second year in Green Bay, Willis has another opportunity in front of him.

On Monday, Brian Gutekunst said Jordan Love is having a procedure on his left thumb and should be back at practice next week. In the meantime, Willis will take the first-team reps and get a valuable test against the Indianapolis Colts’ defense in the joint practice on Thursday.

Furthermore, Matt LaFleur believes it's unlikely that Love will be ready in time for Week 3 of the preseason against the Seattle Seahawks. Therefore, Willis could also get some valuable snaps against Seattle’s defense during the joint practice.

Willis will be going up against Indy’s defense for the second time since joining the Packers. His first start with Green Bay was against the Colts in Week 2 last year. In that game, he completed 12 passes on 18 dropbacks for 122 yards, threw one touchdown, posted a 126.8 passer rating, and didn’t have any turnover-worthy plays.

On Thursday, Willis won’t have Christian Watson or Jayden Reed at his disposal. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are also dealing with injuries, so it’s uncertain whether they will play. However, one would argue that they will likely not participate in the joint practice.

The Packers leaned more on a run-heavy offense, which fit their style and matched Willis’ physical abilities. Still, he was highly effective whenever he dropped back to pass and rarely put it in danger.

Willis has a big season coming up. He’s set to be a free agent in 2026, and it’s hard to imagine Green Bay keeping him long-term. He already has a shot at landing a new deal elsewhere, and his value will only go up if he takes advantage of his chances this year.

The best-case scenario for Willis taking the field during the regular season is late in games when the Packers are comfortably ahead, or getting some reps once the team has already locked up the number one seed with a game or two to go.

When it comes to the kind of experience a backup quarterback can get in the preseason, Willis’ chances against the Colts – and likely the Seahawks – are about as good as it gets. He’ll get to compete against starters and really show what he can do.

If Green Bay’s main receiving corps does not participate in the joint practice and Willis still puts together a solid performance, he’ll definitely make some headlines. He has way more to gain than to lose here, which can only work in his favor.