Most Underrated NFL Free Agents? Packers Have Two

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have a strong group of players set to hit free agency. Pro Football Focus picked two of them in selecting its most underrated player at each position on offense.

At quarterback, the choice was Malik Willis in a top-heavy group that includes the Colts’ Daniel Jones and the Steelers’ Aaron Rodgers.

“Willis, although the No. 1 free-agent passer, could be underrated because of his limited playing time in Green Bay,” PFF’s Zoltan Buday wrote. “Even though the former third-round pick saw just 314 snaps over the past two seasons with the Packers, he flashed enough potential to earn a starting position elsewhere.”

The stats are stunning. As a third-round pick by the Titans in 2022, Willis played in 11 games with three starts. He completed 53.0 percent of his passes with zero touchdowns, three interceptions and a 49.4 passer rating. In 11 games with three starts for the Packers the past two seasons, he completed 78.7 percent of his passes with six touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 134.6 passer rating.

In 2025, Willis was 30-of-35 passing (85.7 percent) for 422 yards and three touchdowns. That gave him three seasons with 35 passing attempts. Over those four NFL seasons, there were 237 individual seasons in which a quarterback threw at least 35 passes and started one game. Here’s where he ranked:

Willis in 2022 ranked 234th with a 42.8 passer rating, 231st with a 50.8 completion rate and 231st with 4.5 yards per attempt.

Willis in 2024 ranked second with a 124.8 passer rating, fifth with a 74.1 percent completion rate and second with 10.2 yards per attempt

Willis in 2025 ranked first with a 145.5 passer rating, first with an 85.7 percent completion rate and first with 12.1 yards per attempt.

Talk about resurrecting a career. Late in the season, coach Matt LaFleur said having Willis was like having a second starting quarterback.

“There’s nothing like somebody believing in you, but it starts with yourself,” Willis said. “What are you doing that prepares you when you get the opportunity to put something on tape? Because that’s what this league is about, being able to put good stuff on tape, and somebody will take a chance then. But if you don’t have anything good on tape, nobody’s willing to be behind you. So, it’s awesome that Matt feels that, you know what I mean?”

Over the last two seasons, Willis was one of 61 quarterbacks with at least 89 passing attempts (his numbers) and one start. Willis was No. 1 with a 134.6 passer rating (Lamar Jackson, 113.5), 78.7 completion percentage (Tua Tagovailoa, 70.4) and 10.9 yards per attempt (Jackson, 8.7).

“You only can prove it if you can go out there and do it,” Willis said before Week 18. “It’s just like the law. You’re innocent until proven guilty, so until you can go out there and prove it, it don’t matter. You can think all you want, you can feel like all you want, but it doesn’t matter until you go prove it.”

Romeo Doubs Is Underrated, Too

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) pulls down a long reception in the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Romeo Doubs was PFF’s choice as the most underrated free-agent receiver.

“He already proved himself as a potential top target, but he could really flourish in a passing game with a clear No. 1 while he shines as the No. 2,” Buday wrote.

Doubs in four seasons caught 202 passes for 2,424 yards and 21 touchdowns. The 19th receiver off the board in 2022, Doubs in the draft class ranks sixth in catches, eighth in yards and second in touchdowns.

He never had a great season – career highs of 59 catches and eight touchdowns in 2023 and 724 yards in 2025 – but he put up consistent production all four seasons. He certainly didn’t diminish his free-agent market with his season-ending performance in the loss to the Bears.

Doubs is No. 7 among receivers in PFF’s free-agent rankings, with Dallas’ George Pickens and Indianapolis’ Alex Pierce taking the top spots.

Doubs is No. 4 among receivers in ESPN’s rankings. Matt Bowen saw Doubs’ best free-agent fit with the Raiders.

“His ability to uncover and work the heavy traffic areas of the field would be great for anticipated top pick Fernando Mendoza,” he wrote.

Spotrac projects Doubs will earn a four-year contract worth about $48 million.

There are no Packers on the list of PFF’s underrated free agents on defense. However, a former Packers starter was the pick at cornerback, and that’s a need for Green Bay.

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Romeo Doubs Is Underrated, Too

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