The Green Bay Packers appear set to maintain Jordan Love as their starting quarterback following his strongest season in 2025. With Love under contract for the coming years and expected to develop into a Pro Bowl and potential MVP contender, the team’s quarterback future at the top spot seems secure. However, uncertainty looms over who will serve as Love’s backup, as Malik Willis, the current secondary quarterback, enters free agency and could attract offers from other teams seeking a starting signal-caller.
Malik Willis Draws Interest from NFC North Rival Minnesota Vikings
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Minnesota Vikings have expressed early interest in signing Malik Willis once he hits free agency. The Vikings’ quarterback situation has been under scrutiny after they declined Aaron Rodgers’ attempt to join the team last year and opted to develop JJ McCarthy as their starter instead. This choice also resulted in Sam Darnold’s departure, a move that proved costly as Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory recently.
The Vikings seem uncertain about McCarthy’s ability to lead the offense effectively, but they are intent on giving him a chance to win the starting job. Schefter noted that Willis would not immediately assume the starting role if he joined Minnesota, highlighting the team’s desire to evaluate McCarthy first. This dynamic complicates the Vikings’ chances of securing Willis, who is likely seeking a guaranteed starting position.
If he goes to Minnesota, he’s not going to be the starter there,
Schefter said.
He’s not going to start out as the starter. He may wind up as the starter, whereas in the other places, he can sign on and be the starter.
— Adam Schefter, NFL Insider
This situation places the Vikings in a challenging position, as Willis can command contracts in the $20 million per year range on the open market—an affordable figure for a starting quarterback but excessive for a backup role. The Vikings would need to pay Willis a top-tier salary while risking internal competition with McCarthy, whose 2025 statistics included 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Potential Outcomes for Malik Willis and the NFC North
Strategically, if the Vikings are serious about acquiring Willis, the logical move would be to name him the starting quarterback right away and keep McCarthy as his backup. Yet, indications suggest Minnesota is reluctant to make that shift. Therefore, it appears more likely that Willis will sign with another NFL team eager to install him as their starting quarterback from day one.
As a result, Packers fans will likely watch the unfolding quarterback drama in Minnesota with interest, while their own franchise continues to rely on Jordan Love as the future face of the organization. The NFC North division remains one to watch closely, as developments at the quarterback position could influence the competitive balance within the conference in the upcoming seasons.
Schefter provides us with some interesting tidbits about the QB situation:
– Malik Willis would not be the outright starter if signed but could become the starter
To me that implies they want to give JJ a shot, which makes complete sense
-Mac Jones unlikely to be traded pic.twitter.com/48vtiG1vb5
— Nick Miller (@NicholasMMiller) February 6, 2026
