Detroit Lions Make Crucial Decision on Third Quarterback

Detroit Lions huddling.

Getty The Detroit Lions have made a decision on their third quarterback, following keeping just two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster.

The Detroit Lions solidified their 53-man roster on August 27 and began re-signing some released players to their practice squad, including quarterback Jake Fromm, according to a tweet by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Fromm, 26, has spent most of his NFL career as a practice squad player with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and Washington Commanders. He did appear in three games — two of which were starts — for the Giants in 2021, completing 21 of 67 passes for 210 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions.

The Lions signed him August 12 and they were impressed by his preseason.

“Man, I like Fromm,” Campbell told reporters August 24 after the Lions’ final preseason game. “The kid can play a little ball. There’s something about him. He understands, you know, where his answers are at, what to do with the football.”


Jake Fromm Makes the Practice Squad

Fromm was signed to compete with Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld for the backup quarterback job behind starter Jared Goff.

He wound up playing in the last two drives of the final preseason game, completing 6 of 8 passes for 89 yards and getting the Lions within field goal range on his first drive and protecting the ball on a two-minute drive to end the game.

“It’s encouraging. It’s good to see, and I know this: He’s got my antenna up,” Campbell told reporters. “I mean, I see him. So, what does that mean? I don’t quite know yet, but I know this … He’s intriguing. He’s got a little football player in him.”

Hooker, who suffered a concussion against the Giants on August 14, played all three preseason games, completing 65.9% of his passes and throwing for a touchdown.

The Lions kept him on the 53-man roster, cutting Sudfeld and not signing him to the practice squad, per the Detroit Free Press.

Sudfeld started the Lions’ first two preseason games but sat out the final preseason game. Detroit signed him before the 2022 season to a one-year deal as a backup quarterback, and he played in two games. He missed the entire 2023 season with a torn ACL that he suffered in training camp.


More Additions to the Detroit Lions’ Practice Squad

In addition to Fromm, the Lions announced they had signed 14 other players to the practice squad, including notable veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick, formerly of the Denver Broncos.

Both Adam Schefter of ESPN and Jordan Schultz of the Schultz Report reported that the Lions were set to sign veteran receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, whom they’d cut earlier.

The rest of the practice squad includes: LB Mitchell Agude, OL Kingsley Eguakun, RB Jermar Jefferson, WR Tom Kennedy, WR Allen Robinson, TE Shane Zylstra, TE James Mitchell, OT Jamarco Jones, DL Isaac Ukwu, DT Chris Smith, DT Kyle Peko, DT Pat O’Connor and S C.J. Moore.

Broncos general manager George Paton praised the oft-injured Patrick.

“On behalf of everyone in the organization, I just can’t say enough great things about the type of player, the person, Tim Patrick [has been] while he has been a Bronco for the past seven seasons,” Paton said, according to ESPN.

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