Green Bay Packers: 1 NFL team already out on quarterback Malik Willis

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis has emerged as one of the most intriguing names on the 2025 free-agent market, but at least one rumored suitor has already removed itself from the chase. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Monday that the Cleveland Browns are “unlikely” to pursue Willis, ending weeks of speculation that the 26-year-old could land in northeast Ohio.

Willis’s stock has soared after a 2024 season in which he completed 78.7 percent of his passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns without an interception in 11 appearances (three starts) for the Packers, posting a sparkling 134.6 passer rating. The former Tennessee Titan is now projected to command a contract in the $25–30 million annual range, a price tag the Browns cannot accommodate while still carrying Deshaun Watson’s hefty deal.

Cleveland instead will move forward with last year’s rookies, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, while searching for a lower-cost veteran to compete for snaps. The decision leaves the Browns on the sidelines as teams such as the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals jockey for position.

Miami has long been viewed as a logical landing spot. General manager Jon Eric-Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley both arrived in South Beach this off-season after working in Green Bay, giving the Dolphins inside knowledge of Willis’s development and fit within their scheme. The club is also weighing a move away from incumbent Tua Tagovailoa, further fueling the connection.

Arizona presents another potential destination. Head coach Mike LaFleur, brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, oversees an offense coordinated by Nathaniel Hackett, who spent the 2024 season on Green Bay’s staff. The Cardinals could create room for Willis if they find a trade partner for Kyler Murray’s contract.

With the Browns officially out, the Packers face the growing likelihood that Willis will depart, forcing Green Bay to identify a new backup for Jordan Love ahead of the 2025 campaign.