Commanders Rumors: Washington Doing Due Diligence on Malik Willis After Wentz Trade

The Washington Commanders were reportedly doing their "due diligence" on Liberty quarterback Malik Willis while attending the Flames' pro day on Tuesday.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the update on Willis, one of the top QB prospects in the 2022 draft, during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show:

The Commanders previously acquired quarterback Carson Wentz in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts.

It's unlikely Washington would have made the deal for Wentz unless it viewed him as a surefire starter to open the 2022 campaign.

That said, the Commanders can get out of his four-year, $128 million contract, which is scheduled to run through 2024, next offseason without leaving any dead cap space. So if he fails to assert himself as their new franchise quarterback, it could be a short tenure in the nation's capital.

His uncertain long-term status is probably why the team's front office is at least taking a look at the draft's top signal-callers.

Willis possesses the most upside of any quarterback in the class. He spent his first two college seasons as a reserve at Auburn before transferring to Liberty for a chance to start.

He completed 62.4 percent of his throws for 5,107 yards with 47 touchdowns and 18 interceptions across 23 appearances for the Flames. He added 1,835 rushing yards and 27 scores on the ground.

While those numbers come with the caveat they were compiled against lower-level competition than he would have faced with Auburn in the SEC, they still represent the type of dual-threat playmaking ability that's built for the modern NFL.

Willis has the arm strength to hit any window on the field, but the key questions have surrounded whether he's accurate enough to thrive at the next level.

He explained at the NFL Scouting Combine in early March his misses in college were mostly related to his footwork.

"That's where some of the flaws in my game come from, maybe some inaccuracies," Willis told reporters. "It's just from footwork. It's not from just being inaccurate."

If Willis works through those issues and starts hitting receivers in stride on intermediate and deep throws, he's got all the other tools to become a Pro Bowl quarterback.

A year on the sideline to continue those progressions while also learning about NFL defenses, which represents a steep learning curve from what he faced in college, wouldn't be a bad thing. Landing with a team like Washington could work over the long haul.

That said, the Commanders have a chance to seriously compete in the NFC this season if Wentz provides stability under center, so using the No. 11 overall pick on a prospect who could make an instant impact seems more likely.