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Packers Sign 2-Time Pro Bowl QB to Replace Malik Willis Just 1 Hour After He Joins Dolphins

 

 Posted March 9, 2026

GREEN BAY, WIS. — The Green Bay Packers reportedly moved with urgency at the quarterback position, targeting a 2-time Pro Bowl veteran just one hour after Malik Willis agreed to join the Miami Dolphin

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The move signals that Green Bay has no intention of leaving the backup spot behind Jordan Love unsettled for very long.

Willis had become an intriguing depth option for the Packers, but the situation changed quickly once reports emerged that he had reached an agreement with Miami.

His departure creates a clear opening in Green Bay’s quarterback room, especially for a team that still values experience behind its franchise starter.

But the Packers appear determined to respond immediately.

According to the framework now being discussed, Green Bay is working toward a deal with a veteran quarterback who has already proven himself at the NFL level, in a move designed to preserve stability in the quarterback room and bring in a reliable backup option for the 2026 season.

If the move is completed, the Packers would not just be adding experience.

They would be bringing in a player with a strong résumé, leadership presence, and the ability to step in if needed.

That player is Geno Smith.

For Green Bay, this would be a very different replacement compared to Malik Willis.

Willis offered mobility, youth, and developmental upside, while Smith brings poise, maturity, and the kind of command that comes from years of starting experience.

That contrast could be exactly why the fit makes sense.

The Packers do not necessarily need a direct copy of Willis.

Instead, they may be looking for a quarterback capable of stabilizing the room, supporting Jordan Love, and giving the coaching staff confidence that the offense can still function smoothly if the backup is ever called upon.

That kind of insurance matters for any team with serious ambitions.

Green Bay continues to build its offense around Love, but adding a veteran like Smith would strengthen one of the most important areas of the roster: quarterback depth.

It would also give the Packers a proven presence in meetings, on the sideline, and in the locker room.

If this deal gets done, the message from Green Bay would be clear.

The Packers are not only focused on their starting lineup, but also on protecting the structure of the team with smart, experienced depth.

Losing Malik Willis is certainly a notable change.

But if Green Bay turns around just one hour later and lands Geno Smith, the Packers could transform a short-term loss into a smart and steady roster move.

In the short term, this would immediately become one of Green Bay’s most talked-about developments of the offseason.

In the long term, the bigger question will be whether Geno Smith can become the veteran piece that helps the Packers maintain stability behind Jordan Love after Willis’ departure.

Packers are ALL-IN on a PRO BOWL MONSTER who just SHATTERED his career-high with 12 SACKS! The QB Hunter is COMING HOME
Packers are ALL-IN on a PRO BOWL MONSTER who just SHATTERED his career-high with 12 SACKS! The QB Hunter is COMING HOME! Over the past few days, the Green Bay Packers have aggressively reshaped their edge-rusher group. The team traded away 2025 No. 2 edge defender and former first-round pick Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Shortly afterward, rotational standout Kingsley Enagbare left for the New York Jets on a one-year, $10 million deal. Now Green Bay is actively looking for a veteran presence to stabilize a young and unproven edge room. According to Packer Report’s Easton Butler, Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat has formally requested a trade this week — and the Packers are among the teams showing serious interest. Butler posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday: “Cardinals EDGE Josh Sweat has requested a trade this week, per a source. The Packers and Eagles are both reportedly interested in him. Philly is trying to find another star on the DL, after losing Phillips to Carolina.”   The Eagles, Sweat’s original team, are also pushing to bring the 28-year-old back to Philadelphia, creating immediate competition for Green Bay. Packers Could Benefit From More Experience at Edge Rusher Green Bay’s current edge group is heavy on youth but light on proven production. The Packers still have 2023 first-round pick Lukas Van Ness (13th overall), second-year players Collin Oliver and Barryn Sorrell, and undrafted free agent Brenton Cox Jr., who just signed a one-year extension. None of those names currently project as a reliable No. 2 rusher capable of forming a true one-two punch. Van Ness showed real progress late in 2025 and earned a strong 75.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, yet he finished the season with only 1.5 sacks. That is where a player like Sweat would immediately change the equation. The former Eagles and Cardinals edge defender has recorded two double-digit sack seasons in the last four years and set a new career high with 12 sacks in 2025. His experience and consistent pressure generation would give the Packers exactly the veteran complement they lack.   What Would It Take to Trade for Josh Sweat? Sweat signed a four-year contract last offseason that carries a manageable $18.1 million cap hit in each of the 2026–2028 seasons. That number is considered reasonable for a proven pass rusher, and another strong year could even lead to a renegotiation similar to what Jonathan Greenard received. Now turning 29 later this month and entering his ninth NFL season, Sweat still has plenty left in the tank despite being under-utilized early in his career. Most evaluators believe a mid-third-round to early-fourth-round draft pick would be the fair compensation range. However, if the Eagles or another contender gets aggressive, the price could climb as high as a late second-round selection. With training camp just months away and a young core needing guidance, the Packers appear motivated to add a Pro Bowl-caliber edge rusher who has already asked to leave Arizona. Whether they can outbid Philadelphia remains to be seen, but Green Bay’s reported interest signals they are serious about upgrading the position this offseason.

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