Green Bay Packers could be facing quarterback catastrophe in must-win Week 17 showdown vs Ravens 1 Oct 12, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) greets quarterback Malik Willis (2) during warmups prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Packers’ Malik Willis among the season’s biggest winners

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated Dec 29, 2025 12:11 PM ET

Malik Willis was unable to overcome Derrick Henry’s barrage to guide the Packers to a victory on Saturday night, but the Packers’ backup quarterback acquitted himself well in one of the most meaningful performances of his career.

Willis, 26, passed for 288 yards and a touchdown with a 134.6 passer rating, against a playoff-caliber Ravens defense fighting for its postseason lives, in what could prove to be a lucrative audition for 31 teams across the league.

Malik Willis boosts his free agent market in Packers’ loss to Ravens

If Saturday night is Willis’ final start in a Packers uniform, he gave quarterback-needy franchises quite a bit to consider with what he put on film.

According to NFL Media analyst Judy Battista, Willis was among the biggest winners of Week 17 across the league.

“Willis is a free agent-to-be,” Battista writes . “And what he has put on tape as the Packers backup should garner him long looks as a potential starter just two years after he was forsaken by the Titans, who drafted him in 2022, threw him into action before he was ready, then tossed him overboard for Will Levis.”

Packers emerging star could see robust free agent market 2 Nov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) talks with head coach Matt LaFleur before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Green Bay could value Willis enough to try to keep him as Jordan Love’s backup in 2026, and beyond, but that could require an inconvenient overpay. That’s especially true if teams such as the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders, or New York Jets see Willis as a viable starting quarterback, worthy of top dollar on the open market.

There’s a chance, given the dearth of quality quarterback options and the amount of teams looking to add at the most important position in sports this offseason that Willis could be among the most coveted signal callers in free agency.

If that’s the case, Willis won’t just have been a big winner of the season’s penultimate week, but arguably the biggest financial winner of the entire season, as well.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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