It's a common refrain around the NFL that there just aren't enough good quarterbacks to go around. Plenty of teams would be glad to be in the Detroit Lions' position, with Jared Goff as the starter and the potential of Hendon Hooker behind him. Hooker could be a tradeable asset at some point.
But it's clear, and expected, that Hooker is not just being anointed as the Lions' No. 2 quarterback. Nate Sudfeld is apparently on equal footing in a competition as training camp gets going. If Hooker can't separate himself from a veteran with 37 career regular season pass attempts over the course of camp and the preseason, the Lions will have a notable problem.
If Hooker doesn't win the job, the Lions may be content to have Sudfeld as Goff's primary backup. But a dose of reality says that's not a good plan, and any games Sudfeld had to start if Goff was out would easily be marked as losses in Tim Boyle, circa 2021 fashion.
A team with legit Super Bowl aspirations can't let their season go up in smoke if Goff goes down, and due to not emphasizing the No. 2 quarterback spot like general manager Brad Holmes said 18 months ago. Two offseasons of evidence have stretched the definition of "emphasis."
Unless a significant injury forces their hand, it feels unlikely the Lions will look outside the organization for a backup quarterback option. But it also wouldn't be surprising if they're maintaining some awareness of who is or might be available. Sudfeld can only be talked up so much with such a limited resume of meaningful action, and if Hooker isn't ready to play if called upon that'll just be something to deal with.
All of that said, these three quarterbacks could help the Lions with their backup quarterback problem, such as they think they have one or that it may not get better.
3 potential options to help the Detroit Lions with their quarterback 'problem'
3. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have a contract situation with Dak Prescott right now, but it still would be surprising if he's not their quarterback beyond this year for some years to come. They've also attempted to talk up Trey Lance as an interesting unknown/possible future option.
Amid that, there sits Rush. He didn't play much last season (18 pass attempts), and he in general hasn't played much over his six seasons with the Cowboys as a backup to Prescott. But when Prescott missed time in 2022, he went 4-1 as Dallas' starter. He kept things on the rails solidly (58 percent completion rate, five touchdowns, three interceptions, 81.2 passer rating in those games), just like a backup quarterback should if/when he's needed. In 2021, Rush had more pass attempts (47) than Sudfeld has has had total in his career.
The Cowboys could just play it out with three quarterbacks on their depth chart who are capable of starting. But Rush could become a tradeable asset to recoup a draft pick or depth at another position. In a broad sense, should they end up seriously considering another backup quarterback option, the Charlotte (MI) native and Central Michigan alum should be on the Lions' radar.
2. Taylor Heinicke, Atlanta Falcons
After the signing of Kirk Cousins in free agency and the (however surprising) drafting of Michael Penix, Heinicke feels like the odd-man out in the Falcon's quarterback room. Back in June, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports proposed the Lions trading for Heinicke to fix their "quietly concerning" backup quarterback situation,
"Hooker has a third-round pedigree, but he's 26 and still in the learning stages of the No. 2 role, fresh off a "redshirt" season spent recovering from a torn ACL. Heinicke is a different animal, starting 28 games the last three years and showcasing enough spunk as a gutsy passer to win over multiple fan bases. He'd be sure to get the Dan Campbell stamp of approval for his never-say-die mentality, and his role is fuzzier with the Atlanta Falcons after the dual addition of Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr."
-Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports
Heinicke started four games for the Falcons last year when Desmond Ridder got benched. He started 24 games over the previous two seasons with Washington, most notably starting 15 games and leading four game-winning drives in 2021. At the end of the 2020 season, he started a playoff game for Washington and topped 300 passing yards as they narrowly lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.
With their decision to keep Cousins out of action in preseason games as he completes his recovery from a torn Achilles, against his will apparently, the Falcons seem primed to showcase Heinicke for a trade. Multiple teams should be aware of that possibility, including the Lions if their backup quarterback situation doesn't take a positive turn.
1. Ryan Tannehill, Free Agent
Tannehill has been previously mentioned as a potential veteran option for the Lions, should their situation behind Goff go that way. He is still available with the early days of training camp here.
Tannehill has started 151 regular season games over 12 seasons with the Dolphins and the Titans, and his five career playoff starts include a conference title game. His level of play has dropped off in recent years though, so his days as a full-time, clear-cut starter are done. He just turned 36 (on July 27), which also explains why he's still available.
It's abundantly clear that a narrow segment of teams would have any interest in Tannehill at all, and as a tentacle of that there are only certain situations that would appeal to him.
Speaking to the Scoop City podcast on July 26, Tannehill said he's "staying in shape and staying ready" if something does come up. But it'll have to be the right situation.
"Nothing really felt right through free agency and, through that, I had a lot of peace with it. Nothing outstanding jumped up, so I just said, `Hey, I’ll take a step back, and if something comes up on down the road.’ Whether that’s training camp, maybe a guy goes down on a team and gives me a call. You never know what’s going to happen. Just keeping the options open, but, at the same time, not waiting on pins and needles for that call, right? I’m enjoying where I’m at, enjoying where my feet are at, where my family life is. If something comes up, then fantastic, I’ll jump wholeheartedly into it. But, at the same time, not clearly just waiting on that.”
"Right now, I think it's going to depend on situation. At this point, I've been blessed to play 12 years and be where I'm at, so I'm not just going to continue to add years to add years. I want to be in a situation that I feel really good about. I'm not ruling anything out, but it's going to have to be the right situation for me and my family."
The Lions would seem to be an ideal match for Tannehill-a winning team, where he'd be an experienced upgrade to their backup quarterback situation. It may just come down to a call being made. While we're not there yet, probably, it could happen before too long if Hooker can't do enough to separate himself from Sudfeld.
