The Detroit Lions have played two preseason games, sitting at 1-1 and awaiting the final dress rehearsal next Saturday, when they will travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to face the Indianapolis Colts. In both preseason games over the past two weeks, Dan Campbell kept his starters on the bench, including franchise QB Jared Goff. Given that the Colts game will be the final game before the team suits up for Week 1, all eyes are on whether Goff will finally take game reps.
However, the 31-year-old has reportedly not played a preseason game since 2022, so there is a possibility he could be on the sideline again, and backup signal-callers could start—just as happened against the Bengals and Commanders. It leaves Campbell with two backup options, Josh Dobbs and Luke Altmyer, both of whom played the first two preseason games.
Dobbs has an edge over rookie Altmyer in terms of experience, but the NFL analyst Gennaro Filice thinks otherwise after the latter’s promising showing in the preseason games, as the backup QB competition is heating up now ahead of the Colts clash.
“Detroit quickly signed Josh Dobbs to give the team a well-traveled veteran with starting experience,” wrote Filice recently. “But the “Passtronaut” has failed to really take the backup job, while undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer has flashed some promise.”
Here is why Altmyer is closing the gap on Dobbs despite having much less experience in the big league.
Why Luke Altmyer Could Have the Edge in the QB2 Battle
At the start of the Lions’ training camp, Teddy Bridgewater was supposed to be the main backup behind Jared Goff, but the plan changed after his abrupt retirement from the game, prompting Brad Holmes to bring in the veteran Joshua Dobbs from free agency on August 9. He has been part of eight other NFL teams and has been playing in the league since 2017.
In contrast, Luke Altmyer is an undrafted rookie, playing his first season. However, the Lions signed him in April following the conclusion of the NFL Draft, including him in the OTAs, mini camp, and training camp. Therefore, he has more familiarity playing under Dan Campbell’s system. But Dobbs is yet to master the playbook after being in the Motor City for just over two weeks.
GettyLuke Altmyer is battling for the Detroit Lions backup quarterback job
Moreover, the coaching staff has given the rookie plenty of opportunities during practice, taking second-team reps in those drills. Dobbs has yet to get a similar opportunity and time after arriving late. As a result, their preseason numbers show that the backup QB role is still up for grabs for either of them.
The Colts Game Could Settle the QB2 Race
Luke Altmyer had a stellar debut game against the Bengals, making a good first impression. Playing the full three quarters, he logged 130 passing yards and completed 11 passes, even though he had 2 interceptions and got sacked once. As Dobbs had just signed, he had a limited role in that game, throwing for only 32 passing yards.
GettyPhoto by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
The real battle between the two was shown in the second preseason game against the Commanders, where both the signal-callers had significant game reps. The veteran started the game, but he had two quick turnovers. However, he eventually made up for it with a spectacular 50-yard read-option touchdown run.
Altmyer failed to match the level he showed in his debut. Playing two quarters, he logged 86 passing yards. What raised concern was that he ended up taking four sacks. Now, the performance of the QB room against the Colts may ultimately determine who could be Goff’s primary backup from Week 1.
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