In little more than a week, the negotiating period will begin for impending free agents. And quarterback Malik Willis will undoubtedly be agreeing to terms quickly.
With the Packers having no real shot at keeping Willis as the No. 2 to Jordan Love, the tampering will be even more rampant than usual. A deal may already be done, now that the full week of rampant tampering and excessive consumption of bovine body parts in Indianapolis has ended.
So what will Willis get? One theory is that Willis will land in the range of $20 million to $25 million per year on a two- or three-year deal.
That’s at the lower end of the veteran starter scale. Last year, the Jets gave Justin Fields a two-year, $40 million deal with $30 million of it fully guaranteed. Although Fields played more than Willis (Fields had 50 appearances and 44 starts through four seasons; Willis has 22 and six), Willis played very well in limited opportunities during his two years in Green Bay.
Of course, if enough teams want Willis, the money could go higher. Maybe he could get to $30 million per year.
Last year, Sam Darnold parlayed 14 regular-season wins into $33.5 million over three years with Seattle. But the Seahawks didn’t have much if any competition for Darnold. The more suitors for Willis, the more he can make.
The ideal arrangement for Willis, if the number is south of $30 million per year, would be to have a very low cap number early in the deal and a bigger one later — big enough to give Willis the leverage to force an extension if things go well.
As mentioned earlier in the day, the Dolphins and Cardinals provide an important litmus test for his perceived potential. If neither wants him, it’s a red flag. If both want him, more should get involved. And he could end up with a better deal than expected.
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