Should the Lions try to sign a notable veteran backup quarterback since they cannot allow a serious injury to Jared Goff to ruin their 2024 season?
General manager Brad Holmes of the Detroit Lions pledged some priority for the No. 2 quarterback post at the beginning of the 2023 offseason. That ultimately produced Teddy Bridgewater just prior to training camp.
In order to start coaching at his former high school, Bridgewater has retired. Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld are now ranked behind Jared Goff in the depth chart. Since being chosen in 2016, Sudfeld has thrown 37 NFL regular season passes; Hooker is an unproven player.
It’s easy to assume that a serious injury to Goff in 2024 would throw off any realistic plans for a Super Bowl run. Tom Brady seemed willing to play again, which sparked some mild conjecture about him—possibly as an in-season fix for a struggling team that had lost its starter.
However, a more practical and wide-ranging interpretation would be that the Lions might be interested in a seasoned quarterback. Behind the scenes, Sudfeld is valuable to Goff as a clipboard holder. Although Hooker is intriguing, he will only play in preseason NFL games.
Rumors about the Lions: Looking for a seasoned quarterback?
In any case, the veteran signal caller has been identified by both Bleacher Report and Pro Football Network as a match for the Lions in the post-draft free agency class.
Tannehill, Ryan.
The Bears and the Packers, two of the Lions’ NFC North rivals, were recommended as Tannehill’s suitable opponents by Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon. However, the Lions also make some sense.
Pro Football Network’s Dallas Robinson struck a similar “proven veteran behind Jared Goff” note when he suggested that the Lions would be Tannehill’s best option.
“If the Lions don’t feel comfortable with Hooker being one Jared Goff injury from leading their Super Bowl-caliber roster, Tannehill could be their agenda.”
Tannehill’s days of being an obvious starter are over. With the possible exception of the Denver Broncos, all of his prospects to move anywhere and serve as a bridge or stopgap for a young quarterback have essentially disappeared. However, he would still be a seasoned improvement in some of the league’s backup situations, notably Detroit’s.
Basically, it boils down to how much the Lions trust Hooker in the event that Goff is injured. Without even seeing Hooker perform at OTAs, they might not have a definitive response at this time. However, Tannehill is a seasoned player who should be considered as a possible backup for Goff.
