The Lions Finally Have A Backup Quarterback Who Is Competent, And His Name Is Teddy Bridgewater
Today, shock waves are being felt throughout the football world: Teddy Bridgewater has signed with Detroit. OK, I'm being cheeky there. For most people, signing Teddy Bridgewater as the Lions' backup quarterback probably won't move the needle. Still, most Lions fans will agree that this is a legitimately good move. Unlike previous years, I don't have much concern about quarterback injuries (knock on wood X1000). Jared Goff isn't particularly mobile, but Brad Holmes and company have finally given him an offensive line that will keep him upright. That was always the issue in the Stafford era. The dude took a beating. With that said, sometimes you have to break glass in an emergency, and riding with Teddy Bridgewater is a good idea.
The Lions have never exactly been a model organization. But at the same time, in the last several years, even dating back to Matthew Stafford, they've had the most pathetic group of backup quarterbacks in all the football. One of the only reasons we watched the preseason games last year was to see who would be backing up Jared Goff. By the time we got to the end of the preseason, we realized that Detroit would be better off having a scarecrow takes snaps if Goff ever got injured. So thankfully, we don't have to worry about David Blough or Nate Sudfeld taking snaps this year. If shit hits the fan, Bridgewater is the quarterback that could keep you afloat for a few games. Anything beyond that, it's hard to trust him. I'm not going to the playoffs with Teddy Bridgewater as my quarterback, but depth is crucial in this league.
Adding Bridgewater is a good depth piece for Detroit, though the number of beat writers in this state teasing this all day as if the Lions had just traded for Mike Evans was annoying. But I can't act like it's not important. Backup quarterbacks are like your second kidney. They only become necessary when it matters most. This will likely complete the off-season for the Detroit Lions. It was a good one. One of the most appealing things about Dan Campbell as the head coach is that he's making Detroit an attractive destination. Players ran out of Detroit when Matt Patricia was the coach here. That has not been the same with Campbell, and that's a testament to the culture he's created. Now it's time to prove it on the field.