Lions smartly hone quarterback depth chart with release of Nate Sudfeld

On Monday, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell turned down an opportunity to name Nate Sudfeld as the team's No. 2 quarterback ahead of Hendon Hooker. It was an easy perception based on everything else the head coach said previously, and Sudfeld did not play in the preseason finale to further push the assumption.

Now we know why Campbell didn't make that anointment of Sudfeld.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Lions will release Sudfeld on Tuesday.

Last week, Campbell advanced the idea of the Lions keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. The assumption was Sudfeld would be that third guy, and possibly, of not likely, be the primary backup.

Campbell, at least before not taking the aforementioned direct opportunity to name him the backup quarterback, had everyone fooled about where Sudfeld truly stood. But in another sense, good for the Lions to simply acknowledge Sudfeld is as replaceable as it gets when it comes to backup quarterback options.

Sudfeld is not subject to waivers, so there's a chance for him to be brought back on the Lions' practice squad. If only for a virtually certain lack of other options, he's probably open to the possibility of coming back on the practice squad if it comes to that. Time will tell what happens there.

The Lions release Nate Sudfeld, open door for Hendon Hooker to be No. 2 QB

The Lions were going to make Hooker earn the backup quarterback job, as expected and right. He truly did won the gig in the second preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. If not then, he helped himself further in the preseason finale when he rebounded from a slow start.

Still, Campbell's quote about Hooker on Monday should stick in our minds (h/t to Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports).

"Look, let’s start with (Lions QB Hendon) Hooker, you want to know – plain and simple, it’s hard for me to just jump right in the – let’s just jump right in and say, ‘Man, you feel great at number two.’ I think of him as, ‘Is he growing?’ Literally, that’s where my mind goes first is, ‘Is he growing, is he developing?’ Yes, he is, he got better because he got reps. Alright, that’s good."

As of this writing, before any further roster cuts or a move to add another quarterback, Hooker sits as Jared Goff's backup and Jake Fromm is still on the team after being added late in camp. But it's fair to assume a quarterback move is coming soon; the question is to what extent that move is in terms of usurping Hooker as Goff's backup.