Flames In the Pros – Football

Malik Willis  

 

Former Flames quarterback Malik Willis is packing his things and leaving the Music City as he heads to Wisconsin following a recent trade to the Green Bay Packers.  

 The third-year quarterback was traded by Tennessee for a seventh-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This may have been exactly the move Willis needed to prove his worth as a professional. 

The Packers scooped up Willis, a former third round draft pick in 2022. Willis saw playing time during 11 games in his first two seasons with the Titans, starting three of them because of injuries to starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill. During his time in Tennessee, Willis fought hard to earn his spot as backup to Tannehill as he and fellow quarterbackWill Levis duked it out for the coveted spot.  

With Tannehill’s run with the Titans over, the 2023 season looked promising for Willis. However, following his preseason victory over the Patriots, the momentum did not last long, as he fell third in the depth chart behind Levis and newcomer Mason Rudolph.  

The Packers’ trade is a positive move for Willis, as it did not seem like he would have made the Titans’ 53-man roster for the 2024 season. He’s now trying to secure his spot as the backup to newly crowned superstar quarterback Jordan Love, and the odds look to be in Willis’ favor to earn the role behind Love.   

Willis is getting an earlier start with the Packers than expected, following an injury sustained by Love in a game against the Eagles on Friday. Willis got his moment in the spotlight as he stepped onto the gridiron for the first time this season, filling in for Love as he ran the final two plays of the game. Willis will likely see more playing time since Love is anticipated to be sidelined for the next few weeks while he recovers from his left leg injury. We will soon find out if Willis will become the starting quarterback for Green Bay in Love’s absence, as the team hits the field Sunday, Sept. 15. 

“I didn’t wake up thinking I was going to be traded,” Willis said in an article by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “So it definitely caught me by surprise. More than anything, you just take it (for) what it is. Quick turnaround, and the season’s starting. There’s no more lounging around and (kind of) getting ready for the season. This is what it is.” 

The third-year quarterback was traded by Tennessee for a seventh-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This may have been exactly the move Willis needed to prove his worth as a professional. During his time with the Flames, Willis was a machine, racking up 74 total touchdowns in 23 games and boasting a 17-6 record. 

Willis will soon get the opportunity to show Nashville what it lost, as the Packers are set to face the Titans in week three, Sept. 22. Will this be Willis’ revenge arc? We will have to wait and see if he gets the opportunity to impress fans on the field. 

 

DeMario Douglas  

 

Former Flames wide receiver DeMario “Pop” Douglas has quickly climbed the ranks in the NFL, as he is set to start with the Patriots this season. 

Douglas was picked up in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Patriots, and he spent his rookie year leading the Pats in total receiving yards with 561 yards. The 5-foot-8 slot wide receiver makes up for his stature with his speed and agility, which were assets during his time with the Flames and helped him to led the team both in receiving yards and touchdowns. 

Now that Douglas has spent a season getting familiar with his team and developing his craft, he is anticipated to further prove his worth in the 2024 season under new Head Coach and former Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo. Douglas was ranked No. 5 in the breakout-players rankings for the 2023 season by NFL Network’s Peter Schrager. 

“I’d say last year, that was my first year. That was my ‘welcome to the league’-type of year,” Douglas said during a press conference at Gillette Stadium. “But this year, I just know to come in, play with confidence, faith and come play with that swagger.” 

While there isn’t a clear No.1 wideout on the Patriots’ depth chart for the upcoming season, the odds are in Douglas’ favor following his stellar rookie season, in which he caught 49 passes and an aforementioned 561 yards in 14 games. Douglas made such an impression with his performance in these games that he earned his spot as a starter for 2024. 

Flames and Patriots fans alike are watching Douglas this season in hopes that his performance will continue to improve as he finds his place in the NFL.  

“I feel like I can always improve in every aspect,” Douglas said in the press conference. “But get a touchdown this year. Well, more than one.” 

White is the asst. sports editor for the Liberty Champion.