Massive NFL Draft development creates a suboptimal ripple effect that leaves the Packers in a tougher spot
Malik Willis is now more likely to move on.
Malik Willis couldn’t be happier. With Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s decision to return to college, announced on Wednesday, the Green Bay Packers backup QB just got much more valuable on the free agent market next March — and for the Packers, it has gotten materially harder to keep him behind Jordan Love for another year.
Draft decision
Dante Moore was perceived as the second best quarterback of his class, behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. There was a good chance that, had he declared, Moore would have been the second overall selection in April.
But with Moore deciding to return to college football for another year, there is a significant downgrade from the first to the second QB of the class.
After Mendoza, seen as the top overall prospect, the next quarterback is Alabama’s Ty Simpson, the 20th overall prospect on the consensus big board. They are the only two first-round prospects — the next ones are LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier (38th), Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (52nd), and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss (56th).
The Las Vegas Raiders have the first overall pick and will presumably select Mendoza. The second overall pick belongs to the New York Jets, and they could be a landing spot for Moore.
But with him off the table, the Jets could look for another veteran/bridge quarterback, even if they end up taking a young quarterback later in the process.
Without a second immediate-starting caliber quarterback prospect, a player like Malik Willis — who’s still young and has proved he can be a reasonable starter at the NFL level — should generate much more interest hitting free agency.
Market value and replacement plan
Spotrac projects Malik Willis to get a one-year, $10.6 million deal. But that’s probably way below what he’ll actually get in the open market. As we mentioned here, it could realistically go to $17 million a year — maybe more if a desperate team steps in.
The Packers have already a potential new backup in place. When Green Bay promoted former third-round pick Desmond Ridder from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of the playoffs, the team gave him a two-year contract — and now he’s signed through 2026, according to Over the Cap. A former starter for the Atlanta Falcons, Ridder will make $1.145 million.
The Packers would love to keep Malik Willis on the roster. But he will likely get a chance to at least compete for a starting job — and Moore’s decision to stay at Oregon only reinforces those chances.
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