The Detroit Lions solidified their backup quarterback spot when they signed veteran Teddy Bridgewater to return for another stint, but the team could have the chance to develop a long-term solution behind Jared Goff.
The Lions ignored the quarterback position in the NFL draft, instead landing Luke Altmyer as an undrafted free agent. Emmett Matasovsky of USA Today’s Lions Wire predicted that the rookie will have an opportunity to earn a long-term role with the team, though he would likely need to start his way up from the practice squad.
As Matasovsky noted, the Lions had a “sneaky” need for another quarterback ahead of the NFL draft, with just two on the roster. Though Bridgewater’s signing eases any immediate fears, the team could be well-served to develop Altmyer into a long-term backup for Goff — one who would be on a rookie contract.
“The Illinois product is smart with the football and can process defenses. He can read the field and is comfortable when needing to read the field and make a play,” Matasovsky wrote. “When watching film on Altmyer, his arm strength and placement will not provide wow moments, but he makes up for it with good reads and the sneaky ability to run the ball.”
Matasovsky noted that the Altmyer will have to work on some areas of his game as well, including his performance in high-pressure situations, but could give the Lions
“Altmyer is solid and safe, with a natural throwing motion and scanning ability to carve out a path in the league,” Matasovsky wrote. “However, with his lack of results when the pressure is on, the concern becomes this: if the pressure is so bad that a starter gets injured and knocked out of the game, will a quarterback that struggles against man coverage and pressure elevate the team?”
Altmyer will have an immediate impact as an emergency quarterback, he added.
“He is not a future starter, but has plenty of long-term backup potential. The one word summary of Altmyer is ‘adequate.’ He has enough promise to potentially make the roster as the emergency third quarterback,” Matasovsky wrote.
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