Seven Veterans Who Could Replace Malik Willis as Packers’ Backup Quarterback

Malik Willis, who got a big stack of cash from the Miami Dolphins in free agency, left some big shoes to fill with the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers need a new backup quarterback should Jordan Love miss a series or a game. General manager Brian Gutekunst moved preemptively by signing Desmond Ridder, a third-round pick by the Falcons in 2022, and Kyle McCord, a sixth-round pick by the Eagles in 2025.

Ridder has started 18 games, including 13 with Atlanta in 2023. Neither Ridder nor McCord played a snap in a game last season.

Here are seven veteran options if the Packers want to add to the quarterback competition.

Free Agent: Joshua Dobbs

Joshua Dobbs was released by the Patriots on Monday. The 31-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Steelers in 2017 and is 3-12 as a starter.

In 2023, he went 1-7 as Arizona’s starter, so new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon knows him well.

“I think he’s played winning football for us since he’s been here,” Gannon said early that season. “I think you guys will continue to see his improvement as he gets more and more comfortable. … He’s making a bunch of plays for us, he’s got good command in the huddle, and he never has any flinch, which I love about him.”

The Cardinals traded him to the Vikings, and he won two of his four starts. He spent 2024 with the 49ers, so would have some familiarity with Green Bay’s scheme, and completed 7-of-10 passes last season for New England.

Of 52 quarterbacks to throw at least 300 passes during the last three seasons, Dobbs was 44th in passer rating (80.4), 34th in completion percentage (63.5) and 46th in yards per attempt (6.1).

Free Agent Who Knows Offense: Jimmy Garoppolo

Jimmy Garoppolo had an extended run of success with the 49ers, where he won 38 of 55 starts from 2017 through 2022. He went 3-3 with the Raiders in 2023 with a 77.7 passer rating and lost his only start with the Rams in 2024, though he threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns in that game.

The 34-year-old played in three games but did not throw a pass for the Rams last season, when Matthew Stafford played almost every snap. With two years under coach Sean McVay, he’d be able to hit the ground running with Green Bay’s offense.

Free Agent Reclamation Project: Zach Wilson

Zach Wilson was the second pick of the 2021 draft by the Jets. In three seasons, he went 12-21 as a starter with a 57.0 completion percentage and 73.1 passer rating with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. His poor performance necessitated the Aaron Rodgers trade.

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) throws a pass against the Packers in 2022. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Wilson didn’t play for Denver in 2024 and threw 11 passes for the Dolphins in 2025. The traits that made him a top prospect haven’t disappeared, and he might be worth the Hail Mary. He’ll turn 27 early in training camp.

Free Agent, Limited Introductions: Easton Stick

Easton Stick starred at North Dakota State from 2014 through 2018. His senior season aligned with the redshirt freshman season of Christian Watson.

Stick, who will turn 31 early in the season, was a fifth-round pick by the Chargers in 2019. He wound up starting four games for them in 2023. While he was only 1-3, he was a respectable 63.8 percent with three touchdowns, one interception and an 85.6 passer rating. He spent last year with the Falcons but didn’t play in a game.

Also, Brett Rypien and Brandon Allen were quarterbacks with the Broncos when new offensive quality control coach T.C. McCartney was their position coach in 2019.

Free Agent, Wise Veteran: Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor will turn 37 about a week into training camp. After starting 43 games from 2015 through 2017, he’s started 19 games the past eight seasons for the Browns, Chargers, Texans, Giants and Jets.

Last year, the Jets went 1-3 in his four starts. He completed 59.7 percent of his passes with five touchdowns, five interceptions and a 72.9 passer rating, but he did lead the team to two of its five highest scoring outputs.

In an irrelevant oddity, Taylor has played in 100 regular-season games but never taken a snap against the Packers.

Trade: Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) runs toward the end zone against the Packers in the 2025 preseason. | Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Packers reportedly are a “team to monitor” for Anthony Richardson, the fourth pick of the 2023 draft by the Colts who was replaced by Daniel Jones and threw only two passes last season. While he went 8-7 in 15 career starts, he was an epic bust by any definition.

During his three seasons in the NFL, 52 quarterbacks threw at least 300 passes. Richardson wasn’t just last in the NFL with a 67.8 passer rating, he was last by almost nine points. He also was last with a 50.6 completion percentage; no other quarterback was worse than 59.4 percent.

What he did do well was create big plays; his average completion gained a league-high 13.6 yards. From the perspective of making big plays through the air and on the ground, Richardson’s got an intriguing skill-set that would fit how coach Matt LaFleur likes to attack with Love.

“He’s got some serious arm talent,” then-Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said before the Packers faced the Colts in 2024. “Hasn’t played in very many games, right? So, he’s just going to get better and better with his touch and his accuracy, but he’s a talented guy. He’s a really good football player.”

The Packers fixed Malik Willis; you’d think organizationally that they think they could fix Richardson, as well, so long as the price is right.

Trade: Will Levis

Will Levis was the first pick of the second round of the 2023 draft. Using the same pool of 52 quarterbacks as with Richardson, he ranked 39th with an 82.7 passer rating, 46th with a 61.0 completion percentage and 27th with 7.0 yards per attempt. So, comparatively speaking, he hasn’t been nearly as erratic as Richardson, but the bad film is incredibly bad.

He’s 5-16 as a starter and didn’t play a snap last season after the Titans drafted Cam Ward.

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