The future of quarterback Malik Willis likely isn’t with the Tennessee Titans. After using a third-round pick on the Liberty product in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Titans, under a new front office regime, dipped back into the quarterback market in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Titans traded up in the second round to select the free-falling Will Levis. Levis was projected by many to be a first-round pick, with some rumors swirling he could go No. 1, but didn’t hear his name called until Day 2 of the draft.
Many people have already pegged Levis as the future of the Titans, overtaking Malik Willis on the depth chart. While the only thing seemingly set in stone about Tennessee’s quarterback depth chart is that Ryan Tannehill will be the starter, it is certainly fair to assume that Malik Willis could be on the move sooner than later.
As a rookie, he struggled mightily when thrust into the starting lineup. He made eight appearances overall and went 1-2 as a starter, registering a quarterback rating of 42.8. He failed to reach the 100-yard plateau in any of his appearances as well.
Those performances certainly weren’t encouraging, but everyone knew it would take time for the Auburn transfer to get adjusted to life in the NFL. No one expected him to light the league on fire as a rookie, so turning the page on him so quickly could be a short-sighted move for the Titans.
If they do opt to move on from him this offseason, there should be a bit of a market for Malik Willis. He was the No. 2 rated quarterback in the 2022 draft class by many people. There are also some tools teams could look to develop as his rushing ability could be an elite weapon.
“Willis is more of a toolsy player than a viable starting NFL quarterback at this point in time,” Nate Tice wrote for the B/R Scouting Department. “He will be a big project for whichever NFL team selects him—albeit a fun project.”
Who could be interested in acquiring Malik Willis? In the opinion of Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, one team that could make sense is the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders have a bit of a quarterback conundrum of their own as they are turning to 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell. If things don’t go well with him, Washington could look for another developmental prospect to add to the depth chart alongside season veteran, Jacoby Brissett.
Washington also has star offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy running the show now, which any quarterback would benefit from. With a strong supporting cast at wide receiver and running back, the Commanders would be a nice place for Malik Willis to reset and get his career back on track.
