The Green Bay Packers essentially knew for certain that backup quarterback Malik Willis would find his way to another organization as the starter, after vastly impressing for the team in stand-in duty for Jordan Love.
And now that free agency has come upon us – or at least the legal tampering period – it seems that Willis will be joining multiple Packers staffers in South Florida with the Miami Dolphins.
However, despite prior expectations being to the contrary, he has agreed to sign a three year, $67.5 million deal.
He gets a 3-year, $67.5M deal with $45M fully guaranteed in a contract negotiated by @DavidMulugheta of @AthletesFirst.
Malik Willis Signing with Dolphins for $22.5 Million Per Year
“Sources: The #Dolphins are signing #Packers QB Malik Willis, as a new QB has landed in Miami. He gets a 3-year, $67.5M deal with $45M fully guaranteed in a contract negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First”, Rapoport reported on Monday.
Multiple sources around the league claimed that Willis would get a deal exceeding that of Sam Darnold, who signed a deal worth just over $30 million per year with the Seattle Seahawks las offseason.
Indeed, NFL insider Jordan Schultz claimed that Willis getting at least $30 million per year was a “foregone conclusion” back in February.
“Packers free agent QB Malik Willis is in demand, as expected, and interested teams I’ve spoken to at the Combine in Indianapolis believe him getting at least $30M per year is a foregone conclusion.” Schultz posted on X back on February 26.
Yet, in the subsequent weeks leading up to free agency it did start to appear like that number was inflated after mock offers made by ESPN’s most tapped in team reporters had offers closer to the $20 million per year mark.
And as it turns out the reporters were right, and Willis comes out with a contract just shy of $23 million a year, which could well end up costing Green Bay their much-desired compensatory third round pick in 2027.
Packers Set to Get a Lower Compensatory Pick Than Expected
After information was released on the contracts for players such as Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh and Tyler Linderbaum, who all received deals in excess of $25 million per year, it would appear that the Packers seem to have essentially officially missed out on a third round compensatory pick from Willis’ departure.
Malik Willis Agrees to Below-Expected Contract With Miami Dolphins