GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers have decided to bring in a younger option for their backup quarterback position, opting for Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans rather than one of their recent draftees.

The Packers traded a seventh-round draft choice to the Titans for Willis, who was taken in the third round of the 2022 draft, as confirmed by a source.

ESPN reported the trade first.

Willis has started three games for the Titans over the past two seasons, failing to throw a touchdown and recording three interceptions, with a record of 1-2. He completed 31 of 61 attempts for a total of 276 yards.

This preseason, Willis performed better, connecting on 20 of 27 passes for 205 yards, along with two touchdowns and one interception, but he was unable to secure the backup role behind first-round pick Will Levis, losing out to Mason Rudolph.

Willis Adds a Unique Element to the Packers’ Quarterback Room

Standing at 6 feet 0.5 inches and weighing 219 pounds, Willis isn’t the conventional quarterback typically favored by coach Matt LaFleur or general manager Brian Gutekunst. Unlike Jordan Love, who is 6-4 and excels in the pocket, Willis shows more resemblance to quarterbacks like Justin Fields or Jalen Hurts, thanks to his size and running capabilities.

While Willis possesses a strong arm similar to Love, he tends to use his legs more often. The Packers may need to adjust their playbook to include some read-option plays to maximize his potential. Willis initially started at Auburn before transferring to Liberty University for his final two years.

Clifford and Pratt Fail to Impress This Preseason

The Packers have opted for Willis over their fifth-round pick from 2023, Sean Clifford, and 2024’s seventh-round pick, Michael Pratt.

Together, they managed to guide the offense to only three touchdowns over 28 drives, which will not be sufficient in the regular season. Their stats were less significant than their effectiveness in moving the offense forward.

Pratt showcased a stronger arm and had a higher average yards per play (4.78 compared to Clifford’s 3.76). One of his drives consumed time but could have resulted in a score if it had happened earlier in the game; however, he managed to get into the end zone only once across six drives against Denver.

Clifford managed to score twice and led the team to three field goals (with both quarterbacks experiencing one drive that ended in a missed field goal). Although Clifford struggled with interceptions in practice, he managed to throw just one during the games.

It is likely that one of the quarterbacks will be retained on the practice squad.