In a year featuring a quarterback draft class that is perceived to be a weak one outside of presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, soon-to-be free agent Malik Willis is becoming a hot commodity. We have already heard that the Browns, Dolphins, and Steelers could be involved in Willis’ market, and Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports hears the Cardinals will be in on Willis as well.
In fact, Pauline’s sources predict Willis ultimately will land in Arizona. The most recent reporting on the Cards’ incumbent QB1, Kyler Murray, indicated the club is undecided as to how it will proceed with the former No. 1 overall pick, who is already guaranteed $36.8MM in compensation for the upcoming season. That said, it would come as no surprise if the Cardinals move on, with a trade the preferred option but a release looking like the more realistic outcome.
Assuming Murray is done in the desert, as Pauline believes, the Cardinals will need to add to their QB room. While Jacoby Brissett played well in relief of Murray last season and could serve as a stopgap solution – he is under contract through 2026 – the 33-year-old journeyman does not profile as a long-term option.
Willis, who will turn 27 in May, could fit that description. The former third-round pick of the Titans has spent the past two years as a backup to Jordan Love in Green Bay, and though his playing time has been limited, he has flashed enough potential to generate notable interest. In his Packers tenure, which includes a 2-1 record as a starter, Willis has completed 70 of 89 passes (78.7%) for 972 yards and six touchdowns without throwing a pick. He has added 42 carries for 261 yards and three TDs.
Like the Cardinals, the Dolphins would prefer to trade their own former first-round signal-caller, Tua Tagovailoa, but are likely to be forced to release him. Pauline confirms that Tagovailoa is not expected to be back with the ‘Fins in 2026, and he says there is an “overwhelming belief” that Miami’s new head coach, Jeff Hafley, wants to bring Willis to South Beach.
Hafley spent the past two seasons as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, and the Dolphins’ new GM, Jon-Eric Sullivan, was a Packers staffer for 22 years before Miami brought him aboard last month. Their connection to Willis is therefore understandable, though the club’s unenviable salary cap situation could make it difficult for them to compete for his services.
At present, the ‘Fins have just $3.18MM of cap room, and even after more cost-shedding moves, they may not be in a position to win a bidding war. That could point them to a cheaper option like Jimmy Garoppolo.
In that scenario, Garoppolo would not necessarily be handed the QB1 mantle. After all, Bobby Slowik, who was recently promoted from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator, is said to be a “big fan” of 2025 seventh-rounder Quinn Ewers.
Ewers held his own over the final three games of the ‘25 campaign, his first taste of regular season action in the pros. Pauline’s sources believe the Texas product deserves a chance at a longer audition, particularly since he was seen as a Day 2 prospect who surprisingly fell to the seventh round. If the Dolphins cannot land Willis, Pauline hears the team plans to give Ewers a chance to start while bringing in an inexpensive veteran like Garoppolo to function as the backup.
Malik Willis would be an excellent addition for any team looking for a Quarterback.
NOT at $35 mill a year! Guy hasn’t proved anything yet nor has he been a starter….. someone is going overpay for him and be disappointed….
How did you feel about Sam Darnold just last season? Pretty sure you had the same mindset right?
He also was a starter… he started a game last year..2 the year before and then another 3 back with TEN…. so swing and a miss on that one.
That would be far closer to giving Darnold $35M after his year in SF than it would be to SEA giving him $33M after he looked great starting a FULL season for the Vikings.
Pretty poor comparison and you know it.
Darnold got $10M from MIN for reference.
Darnold didn’t prove what Malik has going into Minny.
Notice how I said “far closer”.
Of course it isn’t a perfect comparison. If you have one more recent than, say, Matt Flynn, let’s hear it.
It is amazing how Bearmeat’s view of the world through homer glasses never lets facts and statistics get in the way of a good delusion. Let’s just ignore that Darnold, prior to going to MIN, had 50 more starts in the NFL than Willis has had in his entire career. Darnold also threw for 10,000 more yards and 50 more TDs during that same time period vs Willis’ entire body of work in the NFL. And Darnold did all that on bad teams with subpar coaches while Willis has played on teams coached by Mike Vrabel and Matt LaFleur.
Yes the teams that Darnold started for prior to him going to SF as a backup struggled and had bad records, but let’s look at which teams those were. One was the Jets, who I think everyone can agree has been a horrible franchise for decades, and the other was Carolina, who also had Baker Mayfield, who also started games there as well during the time that Darnold was on that team, and Carolina couldn’t manage to consistently win with Baker as the starter either.
Willis had looked very good in his chances to play in GB but struggled mightily in TEN to the point that they were ready to move on from him there.
Bearmeat is ready to put Willis in the Hall of Fame after 6 career starts where most of his positive performances happened while playing for a playoff caliber team. If Willis was forced to start on the same teams in NY and Carolina that Darnold played on, I highly doubt his level of production would have matched Darnold’s.
To say that Willis has proven more is an absurd statement from someone who consistently comments without knowledge. I am jealous of anyone who has never been exposed to Bearmeat and his idiocy.
I would go with Ewers. He should have been a much higher pick. Everyone acted like Arch Manning would be an upgrade from Ewers and he was worse.
Have your watched Ewers? He’s awful.
He was a rookie who played a handful of games. And he wasn’t any worse than Tua.
He wasn’t any worse than Tua. Now that’s a ringing endorsement
Ewers peaked in high school.
I peaked in kindergarten when I learned that eating crayons was better than sticking them up my nose 🙂
As solid as Willis was off the bench I don’t see him being the next Darnold or Baker.
I would love to be wrong, but the teams that need a QB aren’t the best and he won’t have much help arouns him.
But at least he gets the bag either way.
Rob Johnson and Matt Flynn think he’s great.
The only way I can see the Cardinals pursuing Willis is if they already have a deal in place for someone to take Murray off their hands.
Ok