Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is back for his third stint with the Detroit Lions, and is currently penciled in as the club’s backup quarterback behind starter Jared Goff.
But are his chances of beginning the season as Detroit’s backup being put to the test thanks to the emergence of Luke Altmyer?
Is Teddy Bridgewater’s Status As Detroit Lions Backup Quarterback In Danger?
Among the multitude of undrafted free agents that have made their way to the Detroit Lions included quarterback Luke Altmyer, who turned heads thanks to his performance during Detroit’s OTA’s.
First-year Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing made special note of Altmyer’s performance and the importance of him being able to learn from an established veteran like Jared Goff.
“I think the emphasis is very similar to what we just talked about with the O-line. How quickly can you pick it up?” Petzing said. “You’ve got to call the plays, you’ve got to get in and out of the huddle, you’ve got the quarterback position, you’re responsible for the 10 other guys. Are they doing what they’re supposed to be doing, or when they’re not, can you correct it before it matters? I think that’s a big part of the process of playing quarterback and something that (Lions QB) Jared (Goff), obviously who’s been in the league for such a long time, does at such a high level that you almost start to take it for granted and some of the young guys got to get there, and to watch him do that, I think it’s great for Luke.”
Petzing concluded by saying he believes that Altmyer has done a good job of starting to build his foundation for a future in the League.
“I think he’s really embraced that and I think that’s been kind of the fun thing to get to work with him,” he said. “You are building it from the ground up. He doesn’t have that foundation right now, and so we’re trying to set that foundation. I think he’s embracing that challenge.”
Meanwhile, head coach Dan Campbell praised Altmyer’s performance, noting that he wasn’t lacking in confidence.
“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.”
What Does This Mean For Teddy Bridgewater?
Thanks to Altmyer’s standout performance at OTA’s, it raises the question on whether he could outperform Bridgewater when Training Camp gets underway late next month.
Right now, Bridgewater is penciled in as Detroit’s backup behind Goff, but if Altmyer continues his upward trajectory, it wouldn’t be stunning to eventually see Bridgewater slip down to third on Detroit’s quarterback depth chart.
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