Malik Willis in 2026?

Yeah, but in the same regard if you learn a system deeply you understand the steps and maturation needed to go deeply into a system. If you never learn past surface level, you don't get to see if the player has the ability to learn any system deeply enough to succeed in the NFL. Just a thought. Doesn't make it right lol

 

I hold Willis' early career against him, simply because he could easily revert to that. No thanks.

 

You can't really operate an offense at "surface level". There has to be a deep knowledge of the offense or the quarterback is severely limited as to what they can do and how much of the field they can operate in.

Say a quarterback goes into the transfer portal and immediately becomes the starting quarterback for that school. If the quarterback plays at a very high level and you can see that the QB goes through progressions and is processing information quickly, you know that they were able to get to that level in just one year in an offensive system. Again, showing the ability to quickly learn the language of the offense, the playbook, all the checks and protections if they do that, and the ability to retain all that information and be able to know where everyone is on the field and being able to operate the offense at a high level in just one preseason shows that a player can do things quickly.

Sometimes, it is the player that has only played in one system their entire college career that is harder to identify how quickly they can catch on to a new offense because it may have taken them 5-6 years in an offense before they really thrive in it.

The teams are also able to learn a lot from the interviews with the quarterbacks. They can drill them on their depth of offensive knowledge and how quickly they can learn things and be able to understand it and repeat it back to them. There is also something to be said for being in the room and getting a good idea of how a young man is built, their character, and if they truly love the game. There is obviously no perfect way to identify who can and who can't play in the NFL at a high level. They try to get as much information as possible and put the puzzle together.

 

It is for a Qb, for other positions no it's not.
Again, In not saying it can't be done, but why swim against the flow.
Have You ever stood behind a OL??? The average height of a OL is 6'5". This is not even bringing into the account of the DL. At under 6'2" a Qb will always have to be looking for passing windows for the rest of their lives, or play shotgun always. Why automatically make it more difficult for our next Qb.

 

Nothing he has done has shown he has actually changed. A few game mean nothing. I can show just as many good games from Mason Rudolph, or any backup Qb. People have a tendency to forget the difference between playing backup, and starter.

 

I agree, if you have to win a race, let's start with a fast car with the best chassis. It's hard enough to win when you actually have that.

 

Exactly

 

He's 6 foot. Unless he grew taller from his last actual college football measurement. Which I guess could happen, but not likely.

 

Awesome if He was a RB. LoL

 

Wills was raw coming out of college. Vrabel did him no favors and he wasn’t the only QB to look bad in TN. He looked much better in GB.

 

I don’t want a reversed Justin Fields situation with us making the wrong decision. We game planned around his strengths and made him look a serviceable QB. Jets took the bait and paid the price.

Another point to consider is the Packer’s WR squad. No superstar, but that group is solid. Willis is not going to see the same with us and may regress to his true form

 

Exactly what I said before. Don't fall for the bait.
Also we can find as many good games by backups throughout the history of time as Willis has shown. Being a backup,and a starter are two different things.

 

I have been as critical of him as anyone, but I wouldn't hate it if they brought him in with Matt LaFleur as a package deal. Given that LaFleur is still with the Packers at this point, that probably isn't happening.

 

No, I never played football after I was pretty young. Besides, I am 5'10'' so I would be shorter than almost every QB anyways lmao

If the linemen are 6'5'' Wouldn't the QB's at 6'3'' and 6'4'' still struggle seeing over them? I get that the FOV is different... IDK. The game is just different now. The Prototype of an NFL QB isn't the same as it was. 25 years ago offenses wanted a 6'4'' or taller, strong-armed passer who would stand in the pocket and be able to deliver the ball downfield. They cared less for the release or the athletic traits.... Today, teams want a 6'0''-6'3'' quality athlete that has a quick release, can throw from different arm angles, make plays off schedule, and hurt you with their legs if needed.

There are a lot more RPO's and quick passes (which don't require the QB to throw over linemen), and there is a larger emphasis on play action and mobility (rollouts). The height of the QB matters less now than it ever has before. I would agree if all the QB's were statues like they were 20 years ago (somehow it didn't matter for Brees). Guys like Joe Flacco wouldn't be an NFL QB if he was 6'0''. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady would've suffered too... But guys like Russell Wilson, Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts, Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, etc. They don't NEED to be 6'2'' or taller because of how they play and how they fit in the modern offense.

I don't necessarily think that being 6'2'' or shorter makes it harder for NFL QB's in today's league. There really isn't anything that points to that being the case. 12 QB's threw for 3500 yards of more this season... 5 of them were 6'2'' or shorter. There were 17 guys that were starters at 6'2'' or less (Fields, Murray, Sanders, Penix, Purdy, Dart, Jackson, Tagovailoa, Jackson, Smith, Ward, Hurts, Mahomes, Mayfield, Nix, Williams, Prescott). There were others that started that were backups (Rattler, Gabriel, Wilson, Taylor, Browning, Ewers, Huntley, Willis, Brosmer, Trubisky, Oladokun). And even others that came into games in relief as backups and didn't start (Buchele, Minshew, Bridgewater, Z. Wilson,) That is 32 guys that are 6'2'' and under that had NFL QB stats this season. Obviously not all are starters or big time players, but the point is that 5 of the top 12 passers (by total yardage) in the league were 6'2'' or shorter and 16 of the opening day starting QB's were 6'2'' or under. I just don't see the big deal. It's not really swimming against the flow anymore.

 

It's not just about that. It's also about release angle. The taller guys, especially with a higher release point, can throw over the OL with a downward trajectory, for quick slants.

You can't zip a ball over the middle if you have to loft it over the OL. You're mostly stuck to outside throws, and a lot of QB roll outs. Sure, you can throw through open windows in the OL, but those are unpredictable and quick slants require a very quick pass on target. You can't stand around waiting for a crease to open.

 

6'1" is tall enough to function yes. The point is, if you got to build your QB moving forward in a computer, you would make him taller.

 

Willis
Willis
Willis

 

What you talkin' bout Willis?

 

The biggest fear about Willis is the price tag.

I think he will be fine as a QB until we find the next franchise QB.

I want a QB with mobility who can move the chains instead of throwing in the dirt because they stayed in the pocket too long.

 

They were saying on the Fan yesterday that Willis can be signed for 2 years at around 40 million.

 

But probably 30 of that guaranteed

And that is where they let Fields walk

 

Chris Simms is in on Willis to the Steelers.