The Tennessee Titans parted ways with former third-round pick Malik Willis on Monday, ending the quarterback's tenure with the franchise after two seasons.
Willis is moving to the Green Bay Packers, where he will be Jordan Love's backup in his second year as starter.
On Monday, Titans coach Brian Callahan said the decision to transfer the 25-year-old likely wouldn't have been made last year, but a rule change — more specifically, the repeal of a previous rule change — affected Willis' ability to play Sundays in Tennessee.
Callahan explained that the league's decision to repeal the rule that emergency quarterbacks do not count toward the 53-man roster meant that Willis no longer fit into the team's plans.
Brian Callahan on the 3rd QB roster rule and Malik Willis: pic.twitter.com/KAdnUgj2v6
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) 26 August 2024
“They have to be on the active roster, so you have to consider them,” Callahan explained. “I think it would be great if they just took 54th or 47th on game day and you could just take a third quarterback…it doesn't work that way. I understand how it all works, and it sounds tempting, but at the end of the day, it's still a roster spot.”
The NFL reversed the rule change that allowed emergency game-day quarterbacks to be added to the roster without using up an additional roster spot. Now, a game-day quarterback would have to be promoted to be used in the game, which is only allowed three times per year for players on the practice squad.
Willis has played in 11 games in his NFL career, starting three times. He has not thrown a single passing touchdown, but has three interceptions and a 53% completion percentage.
