Dan Campbell runs a tight ship in the Detroit Lions, and he operates under a simple premise: Whoever is doing better and putting in the most effort will make the roster, regardless of pedigree, experience, or whatnot.
That's great news for Luke Altmyer. The undrafted free agent has turned some heads in the Detroit Lions' early offseason workouts, and he might make his way to the team's 53-man roster after barely making any waves in the pre-draft process.
The Lions already have a proven veteran in Teddy Bridgewater, but after walking away from the game for a while, there are no guarantees. As such, it wouldn't be that big a surprise to watch Altmyer beat him for the Lions' QB2 spot.
UDFA Luke Altmyer has a legitimate shot to make the Detroit Lions' roster
Altmyer couldn't catch a break earlier in his career. He backed up eventual NFLers Matt Corral and Jaxson Dart, ultimately transferring to Illinois. Then, a concussion ended his first season, and he had to wait until 2024 to finally get some consistent playing time.
He showed an impressive ability to extend plays with his legs, amassing 741 yards and 12 rushing scores in his final three years in college, all while passing for more than 5,700 yards with 44 touchdowns and 11 picks on a 64.2 completion percentage.
Of course, he's far from a perfect prospect, and the mere fact that he failed to get drafted in such an underwhelming quarterback class is more than telling. He struggles in collapsed pockets and doesn't have the arm talent of an NFL-caliber starter, but the Lions don't need a starter.
Even with Taylor Decker gone, the Lions should have a stout offensive line, and Jared Goff has always been a durable and tough guy. That's even more reason for Dan Campbell and company to roll the dice on Altmyer.
They already know what Bridgewater can bring to the table, which, at this point in his career, might be fairly limited. It's hard to believe Altmyer can ever be a starting-caliber guy, but he has more upside at this point, and he has impressed with his work ethic and confidence.
The Lions' quarterback situation has often been a talking point, with Goff targeted as the team's weakest link on offense. That's a lazy and inaccurate narrative, and the Lions know it. As such, they can afford to think outside of the box and make the unpopular -- but probably right -- decision with Altmyer and Bridgewater.
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