Malik Willis New Packers Backup QB

[bobblehead]

Back when, PbMax and I had a conversation about backup QBs. I speculated that the developing of raw talents wasn't the right path for a backup any longer (Love was developed to be a long term starter). With the recent CBOs limiting team contact with guys in the offseason and prohibiting most voluntary team activities its not realistic to develop a Pratt to be a career backup.

Willis has 2 years in the league and some starts. Now he has one of the best in the business to polish the edges. This was a move to maximize the upside of our backup and to be honest does anyone think he is WORSE than Pratt or Clifford right now (besides skinbasket).

[Fritz]

I’m cool with the move.

[Patler]

Back when, PbMax and I had a conversation about backup QBs. I speculated that the developing of raw talents wasn't the right path for a backup any longer (Love was developed to be a long term starter). With the recent CBOs limiting team contact with guys in the offseason and prohibiting most voluntary team activities its not realistic to develop a Pratt to be a career backup.

Willis has 2 years in the league and some starts. Now he has one of the best in the business to polish the edges. This was a move to maximize the upside of our backup and to be honest does anyone think he is WORSE than Pratt or Clifford right now (besides skinbasket).

Agreed.
I also think there is an advantage in having a backup who plays a bit different than the starter. The defense will prepare for what they see from the starter. A few different plays to the strength of a player like Willis will be less prepared for by the defense.

[MadScientist]

Back when, PbMax and I had a conversation about backup QBs. I speculated that the developing of raw talents wasn't the right path for a backup any longer (Love was developed to be a long term starter). With the recent CBOs limiting team contact with guys in the offseason and prohibiting most voluntary team activities its not realistic to develop a Pratt to be a career backup.

Willis has 2 years in the league and some starts. Now he has one of the best in the business to polish the edges. This was a move to maximize the upside of our backup and to be honest does anyone think he is WORSE than Pratt or Clifford right now (besides skinbasket).

Since teams don't carry 3 QB's on the 53 anymore it makes the decision more challenging. Ideally you are always developing a young QB to be a starter, and if you can't use him, trade him for good picks. That worked well in the Favre era, as they had Doug Peterson as the dull but reliable backup, and with the 3rd spot they had Hasselbeck or Brunell. With only 2, you either have to have some passable but never great holding the second spot, or someone inexperienced and possibly not ready to take over. So ideally you are always trying to develop a starter in the backup position, but not necessarily using high draft capital on it. Sometimes it works, and sometimes you have to start Hundley for several games.

[Patler]

Is this an offseason Barney Fuckdoggle move?

I think the answer is: YES!

[run pMc]

I think the answer is: YES!

Agree. I admit Willis has wildly exceeded my expectations. Gute and MLF are looking like geniuses as the team is keeping pace with DET and within striking distance of MIN. Winning with a backup QB is hard (ask Miami or LAC how that's going) and GB just did it TWICE against admittedly non-playoff teams.
MLF has put him in positions to succeed, and he has. He's not turned the ball over or taken a lot of bad sacks. I am looking forward to seeing what a full offseason with Tom Clements could do for him.

There was no way he was ready to play as a rookie, he's revived his career with these games. Maybe he's Geno Smith 2.0.

[Sparkey]

He was a pretty solid prospect. Jalen Hurts was a 3rd round pick I think. Mocks had him going late 1st due to his incredible athleticism. I don't know what to think of this. I want a heady gamer as my backup. A game manager. This guy is the exact opposite.

It appears that Willis is exactly what you wanted: A smart athletic player who runs the offense as designed, minimizes mistakes and doesn't force things. LeFleur and Clements could do some magic, like turn a 7th into a 3rd.

[Joemailman]

I don't think they'll trade Willis, either this year or next. If Love gets hurt again, I think they'd rather have Willis than have a draft pick and Clifford starting games. If after 2025 someone wants to pay him starter money, they'll take the comp pick. If not sign him again as your backup.

[texaspackerbacker]

The bottom line of this is that this Packer team is loaded enough across the board that we have no significant needs in trade. So a good #2 QB is more important than whatever might be picked up.

[smuggler]

So far that 7th rounder has netted us two wins. Only very rarely do 7th rounders net that over an entire career.

[RashanGary]

So far that 7th rounder has netted us two wins. Only very rarely do 7th rounders net that over an entire career.

Let’s call it 1.5 on the off chance Clifford stumbled into a win. But yes, easily worth a 7 if he does nothing else.

[run pMc]

What's the probability Sean Clifford wins one or both of the last two games? What's the probability he plays turnover free?

What would you trade to go 2-1 vs. be 0-3? Most GMs would gladly give up a R7 for two wins.

[MadtownPacker]

It’s easily 0-3 without Willis.

[smuggler]

Yeah I think it's mostly the escapability and the clean play that preserved us the last two, versus the production. It's quite possible Clifford actually gets more passing yards but we lose both games.

[texaspackerbacker]

I'm all for Willis and give him a lot of well deserved praise. But I think the negativity about Clifford is unwarranted. He isn't that bad, he'd have Clements tutoring him, and he looked decent last season. The badness this preseason was 100% playing with backups at the skilled positions. I would think there's a solid chance we win both of those games with Clifford too,

The Packers are a loaded team at pretty much all positions. They should beat all but a small handful of teams easily if our QB just doesn't throw it away.