Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell made rather clear to reporters in May that he doesn’t put too much stock in offseason workouts. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want his players, particularly rookies, practicing at a high level.
So it was still notable when Campbell offered praise for undrafted rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer on Thursday.
Campbell made clear the Illinois product is progressing well in the Lions offense. But the Detroit head coach seemed most impressed with the quarterback’s poise.
“He doesn’t lack confidence, that’s for sure,” Campbell told reporters on June 4. “I mean, what we thought he would be at this point, I would say, has kind of held true. What I mean by that is, man, he’s able to kind of retain the information we have given him so far.
“Feel like he’s getting a little bit better every day, talk about the processing speed of the quarterback. He’s got a lot on his plate, but he knows what the calls are, he knows where guys are supposed to be, the shifts, the motions.
“And that’s good. For a young guy, that’s really good. So, we’ll see when it really gets going.”
Lions’ Dan Campbell Offers Luke Altmyer Praise
Draft analysts, such as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, didn’t see Altmyer as a guaranteed pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. But while speaking to the media, the quarterback suggested not getting selected hurt so bad because he fully expected to be drafted.
What that could mean going forward, though, is not only a confident QB3 for the Lions, but one with a chip on his shoulder.
Altmyer began his college career at Ole Miss. After two seasons of not playing much, the quarterback transferred to Illinois.
He steadily improved over his three seasons starting for the Fighting Illini. As a senior last fall, Altmyer posted a 67.4% completion percentage while averaging 8.2 yards per pass.
He also had 3,007 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Altmyer is one of just three quarterbacks on the team’s roster this offseason. Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater are firmly entrenched as Detroit’s top two options behind center. But Altmyer clearly has a chance to earn the No. 3 quarterback job with a strong training camp and preseason.
Lions OC Drew Petzing Also Emphasized Altmyer’s Confidence
It’s rather clear that Altmyer has left an impression on the Lions coaching staff with his confidence.
Detroit’s new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing also stressed the young signal-caller’s ability to already offer the offense a steady presence behind center.
“Unflappable is the word that would come to mind. Every day, he’s the same guy,” said Petzing. “He puts in the same process, he works, he never seems overwhelmed by what we’re asking him to do or how we’re asking him to do it.
“He’s willing to learn and will work at it, which has been great.”
The Lions will host another three days of offseason workouts during the second full week of June. The team will then hold its mandatory minicamp from June 16-17.
Altmyer will have the opportunity to continue to showcase his poise during those practice sessions.
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