Getty One former Detroit Lions quarterback has been named the No. 2 best QB free agent going into the new season.
The Detroit Lions have two quarterbacks, Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker, on their 53-man roster, and they also signed quarterback Jake Fromm to their practice squad. But, they have not kept quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the fold for backup help. Now, Dallas Robinson of ProFootballNetwork.com has named Sudfeld the No. 2 best remaining free agent in the quarterback position.
Nate Sudfeld is Just Behind Ryan Tannehill
In an August 28 feature on the best remaining NFL free agents by position, Robinson listed Sudfeld as the No. 2 best quarterback still available in the league.
He noted that, “Sudfeld could end up back on the Detroit Lions’ taxi squad, especially since head coach Dan Campbell didn’t sound entirely sold on new QB2 Hendon Hooker,” but that seems unlikely, now that Detroit has brought Fromm onto the practice squad.
Robinson named Ryan Tannehill the No. 1 best remaining free agent in the quarterback position.
‘While Tannehill is coming off a disappointing season and has struggled with injuries for a few campaigns in a row, he’s easily the best QB option on the market,” Robinson wrote. “He’s 35 but still athletic enough to play in an offense that can get him on the move. Teams that finished near the bottom of Pro Football Network’s backup quarterback rankings might show interest in Tannehill with Week 1 approaching.”
Other quarterbacks to make the cut were C.J. Beathard at No. 3, Trevor Siemian at No. 4 and Blaine Gabbert at No. 5.
Not Everyone Thinks Nate Sudfeld is a Get
In a separate story about the best remaining free agents in the NFL, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report did not name Sudfeld as one of the best quarterbacks available on the market.
Knox was in agreement with Robinson on No. 1, though, and named Tannehill the best.
“Ryan Tannehill, who has been available all offseason, remains the top option for teams in need of an experienced spot starter or bridge option,” Knox wrote. “With 151 starts on his resume, the 36-year-old is a seasoned vet who may be more interested in the right opportunity than a hefty payday.”
Knox named Bailey Zappe and Desmond Ridder as the other two best free agents in the NFL going into the 2024-25 season. Zappe has since signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Nate Sudfeld ‘Has Never Started an NFL Game’
In an August 27 feature on Sudfeld not getting signed to the Lions, Detroit Free Press writer Dave Birkett wrote that although Sudfeld has experience, he also came with some baggage.
“Sudfeld, a sixth-round pick in 2016, has a world more experience than Hooker, a 2023 third-round pick who missed most of his rookie season while rehabbing from a torn ACL,” he wrote. “Most everyone agrees the Lions would have a better chance of winning a game tomorrow with Sudfeld (or Fromm) as their starting quarterback than Hooker.” However, Birkett noted that Sudfeld is “coming off a torn ACL and has never started an NFL game.”
Birkett also said that while “other teams may be interested in their services,” the “chances are remote” that Sudfeld and Fromm “would land opportunities that would be too prohibitive for the Lions to match.”
Sudfeld is one of the worst quarterbacks that I’ve ever seen in a NFL uniform, I really don’t understand how he’s a number two free agent! All he did was throw in interceptions and didn’t hardly complete. Any passes during the preseason. I couldn’t wait for him to get off the field to really see what our second and third strings could do because he wasn’t helping at all! He’s a free agent for a reason and that’s because he’s a horrible quarterback in the NFL, he needs a couple years on a practice squad before he can even think about moving up in the NFL and making any kind of difference.
Did the author of that article happen to watch Nate’s game tape…… wow, I did not see him as someone who would get picked up. He looked very hesitant, took sacks by waiting too long, was not very accurate in his throws….just did not see much to impress. I love that they are going with Hooker as I think he will realy blossom with a little experience.