"Going into this past year, yeah, we went down to the umpteenth hour trying to figure out what we were gonna do at number two. I’ve let it be known internally that we’re not gonna be in that position again heading into this year, so we have to get that settled. I thought Nate Sudfeld did a nice job with us, so we’ll figure that out. But, I am gonna make it a point of emphasis and make sure that, being that we’re finally in a position to address that quarterback room behind Jared, we have been in that position in the past. But, we’re gonna make that a point of emphasis this year.”
After making a late-preseason pivot to fill the quarterback depth chart behind Jared Goff in 2022, the above words are those of Detroit Lions' general manager Brad Holmes during an interview on 97.1 The Ticket (h/t to SI.com) in January of 2023.
That supposed "emphasis" on the No. 2 quarterback spot initially yielded bringing Nate Sudfeld back for the 2023 season. Then in August, after bringing him in for a visit a couple weeks prior, the Lions signed Teddy Bridgewater.
In 2024, Hendon Hooker and Sudfeld battled it out for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart during training camp. But when the playoffs were looming in December, after he had coached his high school alma mater to a state title, the Lions brought Bridgewater back to be the No. 2 quarterback.
Last offseason, the Lions signed Kyle Allen and seemingly put the idea of Bridgewater as the backup quarterback they needed so badly to bed.
With Allen agreeing to a deal with the Buffalo Bills as this year's free agency got going, the Lions were back in the market for a backup quarterback. But, would they actually undergo a search, and land someone interesting?
Not so much. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Tuesday evening, the Lions are bringing Bridgewater back, again.
Lions once again take the lowest-hanging fruit with move to bring Teddy Bridgewater back
Bridgewater spent last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, appearing in four games with 15 pass attempts as Baker Mayfield's backup. It was unclear what his future plans were, but now we know.
Bridgewater took three regular season snaps for the Lions in 2023, and he played three snaps in the Lions' Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders in the 2024 postseason while Goff was being evaluated for a concussion. He has not started an NFL game since the 2022 season, when he started two games for the Miami Dolphins.
During his previous time with the Lions, Bridgewater was widely lauded for his locker room presence and mentorship of young players.
The primary praise Bridgewater has drawn over his entire career is for his intangibles. But intangibles don't pay the proverbial bills when a backup quarterback has to play for more than token stretches in place of the starter. Over his career there's rarely ever been any analysis or mention of if he's actually a capable quarterback. When he was last a full-time starter, 2020 with the Carolina Panthers and 2021 with the Denver Broncos, those teams seemingly could not wait to replace him.
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Most NFL teams will struggle if it loses its starting quarterback for a noticeable length of time. But as their Super Bowl window narrows with every year that falls short of that goal, the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Goff is extra important for the Lions.
If something happens to Goff, the drop-off to his backup has to be mitigated as much as possible. The Lions had an opportunity to do something interesting, if not notable, on that front after Allen's departure. Instead, they're leaning into Bridgewater's intangibles for a third time and praying Goff continues to be durable.