Detroit Lions: Solving the never-ending backup quarterback problem

The ideal outcome for the backup position this year would be to sign a veteran quarterback in free agency and then draft a quarterback with potential in the later rounds, keeping three quarterbacks on the roster. The idea would be to get a quarterback who can be an asset in the film room (the veteran) and a quarterback who is going to be the primary on field backup (the rookie).

While the ideal outcome would be to sign Josh McCown this offseason, I doubt he is going to want to leave the New York Jets, and I doubt the Jets are going to want to lose him (he is an invaluable asset to developing rookie quarterback Sam Darnold). And while, ideally, the Lions could get Brett Rypein in the fifth, I don’t see him lasting past the third round.

So, realistically, the best solution to hope for is that the Lions sign Trevor Siemian to a one or two year deal and then draft Jordan Ta’amu in the fifth or sixth round to develop as their soon to be backup and potential future heir to Matthew Stafford.

Signing Sieman to a contract would be a good move because he is a veteran that has experience in high pressure situations and can be depended upon enough to keep the Lions’ in contention should Stafford ever miss a game or two. He is also someone who could help Stafford in film meetings and help mentor the rookie that is drafted.

Should the Lions draft Ta’amu there is a very real possibility that, with the proper coaching and support system in his early days in Detroit, that he becomes the heir to Stafford once he leaves the Lions. Ta’amu has promising traits that can be developed, and once he receives some coaching from Lions’ quarterback coach George Godsey, he could be the next Detroit Lions quarterback. At the very least, he would solve the problem that Detroit has had at the backup quarterback position for years.