The past two weeks forced the Packers to tap into their depth. Injuries opened the door, and both Malik Willis and Emmanuel Wilson did far more than hold things together. Willis stepped in and capped a drive against the Giants. Wilson earned the start against the Vikings and ripped off more than 100 yards with two touchdowns.
No one is calling for a quarterback debate, and no one is pushing Josh Jacobs out of his role. But the way these two responded raises a simple question that Green Bay shouldn’t ignore: Why not use them more often to keep defenses honest?
What Malik Willis brings to the table:
Defenses spend all week studying Jordan Love’s tape. They chart his drop depth, his timing, his progressions—every little habit that makes the offense tick. Then suddenly Malik Willis jogs onto the field, and the entire picture flips.
Willis changes the look the offense can give instantly. He’s quicker, more explosive, and forces edge defenders to freeze for just a beat. And in the NFL, that split-second of hesitation is daylight. It doesn’t take a full-blown package to matter, either.
A couple of zone-read looks. A rollout with an easy, defined read. A QB keeper on third-and-short. Nothing that hijacks the offense’s flow, just enough to force a defense to play honest and adjust on the fly.
Why Emmanuel Wilson deserves more touches:
Josh Jacobs is an absolute workhorse, and every defense in the league knows the Packers will keep feeding him. But even the best bell cows need a running mate. Emmanuel Wilson gives Green Bay exactly that, and his breakout against Minnesota showed he’s not just a band-aid back; he’s a real asset.
Wilson hits the line with a different kind of swagger. His burst is quicker, his cut angles are sharper, and he forces defenders to retrace their steps. Because if teams want to prep for Jacobs’ downhill power, Wilson can provide a different look, and suddenly gap fits look fuzzier than they should.
And here’s the real value: every carry Wilson takes now pays dividends later. A fresher Jacobs in the fourth quarter is how teams win tight division games and how great teams close out games in the postseason. Wilson is not going to replace Jacobs; he is going to extend him.
The Packers’ advantage: using both in the same game:
This isn’t about reinventing the offense or slapping on a new identity. It’s about messing with defensive expectations. Green Bay doesn’t need to overhaul anything; it just needs to alter the picture long enough to force mistakes.
Start by sprinkling in Emmanuel Wilson early in a drive. His burst and cut angles force linebackers to widen their fits, and suddenly, the front can’t just tee off on stopping Jacobs’ downhill tracks.
Then, later in the game, drop in Malik Willis for a quick, curated package. A two-play zone-read look. A designed keeper. A rollout pass down the field. Nothing crazy, but enough to keep opposing defenses on their heels.
In the end, this isn’t about shaking up the depth chart. It’s about using every tool that can help you win. Willis and Wilson showed they can give this offense real juice, and there’s no reason to leave that on the shelf. If the Packers want to stay a step ahead, mix them in, keep defenses guessing, and make opponents account for more than the usual script
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