Acme Packing Company
Up until recently, there were very few backup quarterbacks in the NFL who received north of $5 million per year. Even veteran quarterbacks with starting experience, like Jameis Winston ($4 million) and Jimmy Garoppolo ($3 million), came short of that number.
Recently, the market has moved, though. Tyson Bagent of the Chicago Bears, who threw all of two passes last season, signed a two-year, $10 million extension a couple of weeks ago. Prior to his new contract, the only backup quarterbacks earning north of $4 million per year were Marcus Mariota ($8 million), Jacoby Brissett ($6.25 million), Zach Wilson ($6 million), Jarrett Stidham ($6 million) and Tyrod Taylor ($6 million) going into the 2025 regular season.
This week, the backup quarterback market moved again, as Davis Mills, C.J. Stroud’s number two in Houston, received a one-year, $7 million extension with the Texans. He’s now the second-highest paid backup quarterback in the league, only behind a former second overall selection who has 74 starts under his belt. Meanwhile, Mills hasn’t started in two full regular seasons (about to be three) and has a career record of 5-19-1.
The Green Bay Packers’ backup quarterback at the moment is Malik Willis, who led the team to two victories last season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Because the Packers didn’t extend Willis when the prices for backups were lower, his floor is now probably the $5 million than Bagent, who didn’t have nearly the impact that Willis did in 2024, signed for.
If the Packers want to lock Willis up long-term, it would be smart for them to do so sooner rather than later, as there’s potential for the market to move even further. After all, the $25 million year-to-year salary cap increases that we’re seeing in the NFL have to get absorbed somewhere, and backup quarterbacks are more likely to hit the open market than starters at other positions. Ultimately, it’s the type of players who hit the open market who are more likely to see their salaries significantly increase than the league’s stars.
If Green Bay doesn’t want to use future cap space on Willis, they’ll probably look to the 2026 draft for a backup. With 19 expiring contracts on the team’s 2026 roster, the Packers will be looking to stack compensatory draft picks for the 2027 season next free agency, rather than signing outside free agents.
For what it’s worth, if Willis received a $5 million to $7 million per year deal with another team in 2026, the league’s compensatory draft formula would award Green Bay with a sixth- to seventh-round pick in 2027, as long as they didn’t sign any free agents who would offset the loss. The man who will negotiate Willis’ next contract, be it with the Packers or not, is Athlete’s First David Mulugheta, who also represents quarterback Jordan Love, edge rusher Micah Parsons, safety Xavier McKinney and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare in Green Bay.
