Packers acquire QB Malik Willis from Titans, cut K Anders Carlson and place RB AJ Dillon on IR
Tennessee Titans quarterback Malik Willis passes against the New Orleans Saints during the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Green Bay Packers got a new backup quarterback, lost their No. 2 running back to a season-ending injury and cut their incumbent kicker as they released their 53-man roster on Tuesday.
Green Bay acquired quarterback Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick and followed that up by cutting quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt. The moves leave starter Jordan Love and Willis as the only quarterbacks on Green Bay’s roster.
The Packers also released kicker Anders Carlson and placed AJ Dillon (stinger) and tight end Tyler Davis (shoulder) on inured reserve. Dillon and Davis won’t be able to play at all this season.
Before the Willis trade, Green Bay was lacking experienced candidates to back up Love, who signed a four-year, $220 million contract extension this summer after leading the Packers to an NFC divisional playoff appearance in his first year as starting quarterback.
Willis, 25, made three starts for Tennessee in his rookie year after the Titans’ previous general manager traded up to draft him out of Liberty in the third round in 2022. The Titans went 1-2 in those games, with the win coming in Houston as Tennessee leaned on Derrick Henry’s legs and Willis threw only 10 passes — one in the second half. Willis has never thrown for more than 99 yards in any game.
With the AFC South title on the line at season’s end, Tennessee brought in Joshua Dobbs and started the journeyman in Jacksonville rather than Willis.
In his three career starts, Willis went a combined 25 of 49 for 234 yards with three interceptions and no touchdown passes. He ran for 95 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries in those games.
Willis has completed 53% of his attempts for 350 yards in his first two seasons with three interceptions and still is looking for his first touchdown pass. He has 32 carries for 144 yards and one touchdown.
Clifford, 26, had gone 22 of 43 for 207 yards with one touchdown and an interception in Green Bay’s three preseason games. Pratt, 22, was 23 of 35 for 178 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Clifford was a 2023 fifth-round pick and Pratt a rookie seventh-round selection.
The release of Carlson leaves Greg Joseph as the Packers’ lone kicker for now. Joseph has played for the Cleveland Browns (2018), Tennessee Titans (2019) and Minnesota Vikings (2021-23).
The Packers had selected Carlson out of Auburn in the sixth round of the 2023 draft to replace Mason Crosby, who had been Green Bay’s kicker since 2007 and set the franchise’s career scoring record.
Carlson went 27 of 33 on field-goal attempts — including just 7 of 13 from at least 40 yards — and 34 of 39 on extra points last season. He missed a 41-yard field goal as the Packers were trying to protect a fourth-quarter lead in an NFC divisional playoff game they eventually lost 24-21 at San Francisco.
He went 3 of 4 on field goals in the preseason and sent a 32-yard attempt wide right in the fourth quarter of a 30-7 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
Dillon had rushed for 613 yards and two touchdowns while also catching 22 passes for 223 yards last season. He was expected to be the Packers’ No. 2 running back behind Josh Jacobs.
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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.
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