In a move that may shake up the Green Bay Packers’ lineup for Week 2, rookie quarterback Jordan Love’s availability is still up in the air, potentially paving the way for backup Malik Willis to make his first start against the Colts on Sunday.
Willis, who only recently arrived in Green Bay after being acquired in a trade with Tennessee, has been impressing his teammates in practice leading up to the game. Receiver Christian Watson shared his thoughts with the media, stating, “I think there have been highs and lows throughout practice, but that’s what it’s for. We’re definitely in a little expedited process, getting everybody up to speed. But I feel like it’s looked really good. We’re trying to build that confidence for him — confidence in our offense — and liking where it’s at right now.”
Watson emphasized the importance of building a strong rapport with Willis, highlighting the need for precision and attention to detail in their preparations for Sunday. He mentioned, “It’s really just kind of an experience thing with him, timing thing. Just him getting a feel for us out there. Obviously haven’t gotten a lot of reps, so every rep we get right now through practice is really important. But it’s definitely been trending pretty positive for us. We made a lot of plays out there today, so it’s looking good.”
Reflecting on his own performance in the previous game against Philadelphia, where he caught three passes for 13 yards and a touchdown, Watson acknowledged the role of the receivers in supporting Willis. He explained, “I think the better we can be individually, on the perimeter specifically, the easier it’ll be for him. In his eyes, if we’re where we need to be and we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, it’s going to make his job a lot easier. So, our job is to make it easy for the quarterback every week and this week will specifically be a little bit more so, obviously not having as much built up reps with Malik as we do with ’10’ [Love].”
With the uncertainty surrounding Love’s availability, all eyes will be on Willis as he prepares to lead the Packers against the Colts in a crucial Week 2 matchup. The team is hoping that their new quarterback can step up to the challenge and deliver a strong performance on Sunday.
