The Detroit Lions appeared to fill their backup role on Tuesday evening when they reached an agreement with Teddy Bridgewater, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. With Jared Goff locked in as the starting quarterback, Bridgewater will return for his third stint with the Lions, giving Detroit some familiarity if he were thrust into action.
But while Bridgewater will fill the role after Kyle Allen’s departure to the Buffalo Bills, the Lions’ search for a backup may not be over. A weak free agent class may have contributed to the 33-year-old’s return to the Motor City, and it may inspire the Lions to look for a long-term solution in this year’s draft.
Lions Likely to Draft a QB Despite Teddy Bridgewater’s Return
Bridgewater had previously been with the Lions during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but there’s not a lot of evidence to suggest Detroit would be comfortable if he needed to go into a game. Dating back to the 2022 season, Bridgewater has appeared in nine games and made just two starts, completing 57-of-94 passes for 745 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Even Bridgewater’s time in Detroit has been spent mostly holding a clipboard. Bridgewater has just two total appearances with the Lions over two seasons, and that tenure was interrupted by a brief retirement in which he spent most of the 2024 season coaching high school football. When he came into a 2024 playoff game against the Washington Commanders, it was a white-knuckle experience before Goff re-entered the contest after being evaluated for an injury.
This means that Bridgewater was more of a contingency plan than a top option. When Allen left, the Lions looked at a free agent market where Zach Wilson, Tyrod Taylor, and Trey Lance were the most realistic options on the board. In the end, the Lions deemed that Bridgewater was the best option for now, with the possibility of adding another signal caller in this year’s draft.
The 2026 draft class may not be a good one to find a starter, but the Lions could have some luck finding a backup. Alabama’s Ty Simpson, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, and Miami’s Carson Beck were considered top quarterback prospects at one point during their collegiate careers, and Detroit could give them the time to develop working behind Goff.
There could also be a long-term benefit to this process. Malik Willis had a similar draft day fall, going from a potential first-round prospect to a third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2022 draft. After not getting a chance in Tennessee behind Will Levis, Willis was traded to the Green Bay Packers and developed for two seasons behind Jordan Love. A few starts later, Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract to be QB1 for the Miami Dolphins, and the Packers will likely get a third-round compensatory pick in the 2027 draft.
The added chance that Goff hits a wall and the Lions have a quarterback waiting in the wings is also a plus. But so is not having to dive into a QB free agent market where backups like Gardner Minshew are making $8 million per season. It’s something the Lions should be considering, and why their search for a backup may not be over with Bridgewater’s return to Detroit.