Malik Willis Prepares to Back Up Jordan Love in Packers' 2024 NFL Opener Against Eagles

Malik Willis is working hard to be ready for the Green Bay Packers' first game of the 2024 NFL season against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game is on Friday night, and Willis has only a few days to learn the team's offense since he was traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Packers just this Monday. He practiced with the Packers for the first time on Wednesday.

Willis is determined to be ready. He said he's taking it "day by day" and trying to learn as much as he can from the coaches, teammates, and by watching film. Willis knows it’s all about repetition right now to get comfortable with the new plays.

Willis was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He played in 11 games over two seasons, including starting three games when the Titans’ main quarterback, Ryan Tannehill, was injured. This offseason, the Titans brought in Mason Rudolph, making Willis likely to end up on the practice squad. But now, with the trade to Green Bay, he has a fresh opportunity.

The Packers traded a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Titans to get Willis, along with a seventh-round pick. Willis admitted the trade took him by surprise but said he’s ready to get to work. There’s no time to relax with the season starting.

After bringing Willis on board, the Packers moved Sean Clifford, a fifth-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, to the practice squad and released another quarterback, Michael Pratt, who was a seventh-round pick in 2024.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst explained why they wanted Willis. He said Willis has shown a lot of progress, especially during the preseason. Gutekunst is excited about Willis’ ability to make plays with both his arm and legs.

During the Titans’ three preseason games, Willis completed 20 out of 27 passes for 205 yards, scoring two touchdowns without any interceptions. He was also the Titans' top rusher, with 101 yards on 11 carries. Willis ended the preseason on a high note by throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to help the Titans win a game against the New Orleans Saints.

Willis said the preseason was valuable for getting real-game experience, even though it doesn’t necessarily reflect his standing on the team. He found it helpful to practice against different players and prepare for games.

The Packers’ game against the Eagles will be played in Sao Paulo, Brazil, at 7:15 p.m. CDT on Friday, and it will be televised by Peacock. Packers coach Matt LaFleur hopes Willis will be ready to back up Jordan Love. If Willis isn’t ready, Clifford might be promoted from the practice squad.

LaFleur is confident in Willis’ ability to learn the offense quickly, noting that Willis isn’t a rookie and has a strong foundation. Still, there’s a lot of work to be done before the game.

Willis is no stranger to learning new offenses. This is his fourth offense in just three years. He says adapting to new systems has become a skill for him, and he’s focused on working hard and letting things fall into place.

Before his NFL career, Willis played as a backup at Auburn, where he completed 11 of 14 passes and ran for 309 yards and two touchdowns in 2017 and 2018. He later transferred to Liberty, where he threw for 5,107 yards and 47 touchdowns over two seasons.

In his time with the Titans, Willis completed 35 of 66 passes for 350 yards but didn’t score any passing touchdowns. He also ran for 144 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries.