While J.J. McCarthy may have had a couple of solid performances in recent wins over the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys, completing a combined 66 percent of his passes for 413 yards with five touchdowns against just one interception, that certainly hasn't stopped the chatter about the Minnesota Vikings adding another quarterback this offseason.
Sure, the conversations subsided a touch with McCarthy's play in those two games, but the fact that he just sat out yet another game after suffering a hairline fracture in his throwing hand has once again brought the matter of his overall durability into play, as the 22-year-old has now missed seven games this year with various injuries after missing his entire rookie campaign with a knee injury.
As such, the conversations have picked back up a bit over the last week and a half or so, and the names that were previously being thrown around, the likes of which include Daniel Jones, Mac Jones, Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa, and Aaron Rodgers, among others, are still being mentioned.
But a new contender has now emerged to challenge McCarthy next season, one who the Vikings could see this Sunday, that contender being Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell had nothing but great things to say about Green Bay Packers QB Malik Willis
A third-round pick of the Titans in 2022, Willis made just three starts for Tennessee before being traded to Green Bay ahead of the 2024 season. And Matt LaFleur has certainly been happy to have him.
When Jordan Love went down with a late injury in the Packers' season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last season, Willis stepped in and led the team to a pair of victories, completing a combined 75.8 percent of his passes for 324 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, while adding another 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground on just 12 carries.
And in his lone start this season this past Saturday with Love sidelined with a concussion, Willis certainly can't be blamed for the Packers' 41-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, as he connected on 18 of his 21 throws for a career-high 288 yards with a touchdown and no picks, adding a team-high 60 rushing yards and two scores on nine carries before exiting the game midway through the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.
If his shoulder holds up, Willis could get the start on Sunday against the Vikings, even if Love is ready to go, as the Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed in the NFC no matter the outcome. But even if Willis doesn't go, he already has the respect of Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell, who had nothing but great things to say about the 26-year-old earlier this week.
"I think Malik is...listen, every opportunity, he's gone out there, he's done very positive things," O'Connell said. "I mean, he's made some high-level throws. His athleticism has always been real, and you can see a player that has not only gained confidence, but the game makes sense to him.
He's seeing stuff and pulling and turning it loose, pulling the trigger, and throwing into some tight windows, and pushing the ball downfield, too. So, I think Malik has grown a ton in his time in the league, and I think he's a really good fit for what they're asking him to do right now."
With Willis set to become an unrestricted free agent, he'll undoubtedly have plenty of suitors, and one would assume he'd prefer to go to a team that would allow him to at least challenge for a starting role. And with the way things have gone with McCarthy, the Vikings simply have to be seen as a team in that situation.
The beautiful thing about Willis is that O'Connell, who clearly likes what he's seen, is that he wouldn't have to change his play-calling style at all, as Willis and McCarthy have very similar skill sets.
Furthermore, while Willis will undoubtedly cost more than the $1.1 million he's making this season on the final year of his rookie deal, he'll still be far cheaper than most of the names mentioned above.
Sure, he'll likely get high-level backup money, but that shouldn't be more than $6 million to $8 million. And salary certainly has to be taken into consideration, given Minnesota's cap issues heading into the offseason.
The Vikings will undoubtedly be looking at a lot of options before the new league year begins, and Malik Willis should certainly be one of them.