The Detroit Lions are pushing through the early part of the offseason, and as many agree, have done a nice job to check off some of their bigger needs.
In spite of that, some needs do remain for the team, and many have been called out for the rest of the offseason. Some still see defense as a big spot of need, while others think the team needs to look at wideout or tight end.
One place that can get overlooked in those discussions is quarterback. The Lions could use a player at the spot, especially if they elect to let Nate Sudfeld walk in free agency. To that end, it could also be a major need for the Lions.
ESPN Lions reporter Eric Woodyard looked and picked out some themes of the offseason. For Woodyard, the biggest need the Lions have for the rest of the offseason remains the backup quarterback spot.
“Although Jared Goff has proved himself, the front office still needs to address who plays behind him. The Lions cut both Tim Boyle and David Blough coming out of training camp last season, and GM Brad Holmes has vowed to do a better job managing the position in 2023,” Woodyard wrote in the piece.
The Lions do need to find someone new at the spot, and having that player be young certainly wouldn’t hurt. Detroit hasn’t tried to develop a young quarterback since Brad Kaaya in 2017, and that experiment didn’t last long. Kaaya was off the roster in the same year.
Whether a different veteran that offers a bit more talent and experience, or a rookie the team can grow with in the next few years, it’s clear that Woodyard thinks the Lions have a major hole at quarterback.
What they do to fix that hole remains to be seen, but it’s clearly not a spot to be discounted the rest of the offseason.
Lions Likely Look at Quarterback Solutions
Many will discount the need for quarterbacks because the team has a resurgent Jared Goff on the roster, but it’s clear that Brad Holmes is interested in an upgrade at the position.
Goff’s backup last season was Sudfeld, and that might not be good enough for the future. Enter Holmes, and a potential change at the position this offseason. That’s true even if Goff doesn’t lose his job.
Speaking during the NFL combine in the beginning of March, Holmes explained to reporters including Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News that he believes he must do a better job to address the quarterback spot.
Brad Holmes says he has to do a better job of solving the backup QB position. Said he wasn’t satisfied with their situation entering 2022
“I feel like last year we left training camp kind of sliding into home plate trying to fill that backup quarterback role. That’s on me, I’ve got to do a better job of making sure we’re not in that position again. So that is something we’re going to need to address whether it’s here in free agency or in the draft. That’s something we’ve had a lot of conversations about. But I’ve got to do a better job of getting that rectified,” Holmes said as shown in Bianchi’s tweet.
Clearly, the Lions are going to be in the market for something at the position, and that is pretty notable as the offseason continues to evolve. Someone behind Goff is likely to be added at some point.
Lions Options This Offseason at Quarterback
Fortunately for Detroit, there are still plenty of good options on the table for the team the rest of the way. That’s true even if the Lions decide they want to pursue a rookie in the draft.
At this point, the backup market hasn’t moved much at all. Teddy Bridgewater would likely be the biggest name who is a veteran, and he has a previous tie to Dan Campbell being he played for the New Orleans Saints. If it’s youth the team seeks, Mason Rudolph remains a free agent, and is only 27 years old. The Lions could also look at 27 year old John Wolford, formally of the Los Angeles Rams. He has backed Goff up before.
In the draft, assuming the Lions don’t go with an early pick, the team could certainly look at a name a bit further down the board. Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker may fit them the best from that standpoint, and could be the perfect option. Additionally, the
No matter what happens, it seems clear the Lions are destined for some sort of move at the position. That looks true relative to how big a need it could present at this point in time.
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