The Detroit Lions proposed the NFL’s new emergency quarterback rule that allows a third quarterback to dress for games and not count against the gameday roster. But as pleased as he was to see the rule pass, Lions coach Dan Campbell said that does not mean his team will keep three quarterbacks at next week’s roster cuts.
“I don’t think that’s a factor into what we’re going to do with the roster,” Campbell said. “I think for us it’s, is it worth keeping three quarterbacks, No. 1? No. 2, where are we at with the rest of the roster? You want to do that, but yet who are we losing to do that, or vice versa?”
The Lions are weighing whether to keep Nate Sudfeld as their No. 3 quarterback behind starter Jared Goff and new backup Teddy Bridgewater, among other decisions in a big roster jigsaw they have a week left to figure out.
NFL teams have until 4 p.m. next Tuesday to set their initial 53-man rosters, and Campbell said he and general manager Brad Holmes had their first of three or four in-depth roster discussions Monday night.
“Obviously, we talk all the time, but really we kind of try to stay out of each other’s way, gather our own opinions before we give it a lot of good time,” Campbell said. “We listen to the coaches, we listen to the personnel department. He does, I do. We try not to sway each other.
“(Monday) was our first time to really, ‘Hey, how do you feel? How do you feel?’ And I’d say we’re pretty aligned, we really are. And the last pieces are the ones that it’s that, there’s moving parts to it all, cause there are. There’s still a lot of spots that are in flux right now and guys are fighting for those spots. But it’s good. It’s a competitive roster and like the guys that we got.”
LIONS ROSTER PREDICTION: GM Brad Holmes might have something coming
The Lions have the deepest roster they’ve had since Campbell and Holmes joined forces in 2021, with above-average depth at the edge rush, inside linebacker and safety positions.
Along with backup quarterback, the Lions have roster decisions looming at the No. 3 running back, No. 5 receiver, swing offensive tackle, backup defensive tackle and kicker positions.
Campbell declined to say how many spots remain up for grabs in his eyes, though he acknowledged those decisions are more complex than just slotting names into predetermined roster holes.
“Is Quarterback 3 better than Corner 4?” he said. “And then some of it, can we get these guys on practice squad? How does that affect how you build a roster? But no, I don’t feel like (the new quarterback rule) has a bearing, like just because we presented the rule we have to keep three quarterbacks. That’s not a must.”
Along with practices Tuesday and Wednesday, the Lions play the Carolina Panthers in their preseason finale Friday.
Campbell said the Lions likely will rest most of their starters in Carolina, similar to how they approached their first two preseason games against the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars, but that Friday’s game presents one final opportunity for players to earn their way onto the roster.
“Look, body of work goes a long way, but I’ll say this,” Campbell said. “You string a couple of, two or three really good showings back-to-back … and then, man, the game, that can certainly catch our eye, especially if we feel like it’s been just trending in the right way. So yeah, I mean, this isn’t shut off for a number of guys. We have an idea, we feel pretty good about this is where we’re thinking, but that doesn’t mean our minds are made up, either. So yes, absolutely, there’s some guys that still have an opportunity here that could catch our eye.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.