The Detroit Lions are adding some competition to their backup quarterback competition, signing former rival Teddy Bridgewater to vie for the backup role, ESPN reported on August 7.
The Lions had courted the journeyman quarterback earlier in the offseason but came to terms on a deal this week, the report noted. Bridgewater will now compete with Nate Sudfeld for the chance to back up starter Jared Goff, with rookie signal caller Hendon Hooker not expected to factor into the competition until later in the year when he has fully healed from a torn ACL that cut short his final season at Tennessee.
Steady Hand Behind Jared Goff
As the ESPN report noted, the Lions did not have much depth behind Goff as Sudfeld saw little time last season and recorded no stats. He joined the team just before the start of the 2022 season after being released by the San Francisco 49ers.
Should Bridgewater win the backup job, the Lions would have a steady hand behind Goff. Bridgewater has started 65 games over the course of his eight NFL season, seeing action in five games for the Miami Dolphins last season while filling in for the injured Tua Tagovailoa. Bridgewater completed 62% of his passes for 683 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions last season.
The Lions had pursued Bridgewater this offseason, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting on May 8 that the Lions expressed significant interest in the former Minnesota Vikings starter and made a “strong” contract offer.
Competition for Nate Sudfeld
As ESPN noted, Lions head coach Dan Campbell had hinted that the team could bring in some competition for Sudfeld in the No. 2 spot.
“We’re Year 3 [in Campbell’s tenure as coach] and I think we’re in a much better position, and you want to know that you are in the best hands possible. I’ll leave it at that, but that’s also — it’s the competition,” Campbell told reporters on July 25. “It doesn’t mean that Nate’s out of anything if we go this route, if it works out. You’ll feel good about whoever comes out of the fire is going to be the right guy to help you along the way, but yeah, you don’t want the wheels to fall off.”
Even before Bridgewater joined the team, some insiders believed that Sudfeld was not a lock to make the final roster. Jeff Risdon of USA Today’s Lions Wire suggested that the Lions could make a shake-up behind Goff, as they had done prior to the start of the last season when they released onetime starter David Blough to sign Sudfeld.
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“Nate Sudfeld figures to be the No. 2 QB, but this Lions regime has shown a willingness to make changes if Goff’s backup isn’t getting the job done satisfactorily in the preseason,” Risdon noted.
While Goff will not face a challenge for his job this season, some insiders believe that Hooker will eventually make a bid for the starting job in Detroit. The Lions do have some added pressure this season as they are the favorites to win the NFC North and return to the playoffs for the first time in six years.
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Lions Add Competition to Quarterback Race, Sign Former Rival