Lions Backup QB Competition Is Still Open: Who Is Favorite Right Now?

Jared Goff is the Detroit Lions’ undoubted starting quarterback entering the 2026 campaign.

He's coming off a season in which he completed 68 percent of his passes, and threw for 4,564 yards and 34 touchdowns. Meanwhile, he tossed just eight interceptions.

The now 11th-year pro has firmly cemented his status as one of the game's very best passers.

Consequently, there's no controversy atop Detroit's QB depth chart.

However, the backup quarterback position is still very much up for grabs. It's a two-horse race between undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer and veteran Josh Dobbs.

Dobbs, most recently a member of the New England Patriots, is the presumed favorite to secure the job.

The 2017 fourth-round pick has 15 career starts under his belt. Additionally, eight of those starts came in 2023 with the Arizona Cardinals when current Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing was calling plays in the desert.

That familiarity with Petzing likely played a significant factor in Detroit signing the career journeyman passer at the start of training camp.

Across 27 career games, Dobbs has thrown for 17 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and 3,346 yards. He's never proven to be reliable enough to be a starter, but he's done enough to keep getting jobs as a backup.

Yet, he hasn't locked up the Lions’ No. 2 QB gig quite yet.

And Altmyer has outrepped him so far in practice. According to Detroit head man Dan Campbell, it's been by design.

“He (Dobbs) has played in this league. But also, man, just making sure we got him up to speed, being true to that. And also Luke (Altmyer)’s a young player, but he's promising and getting him, trying to soak him with reps,” Campbell said of the team's backup QB competition. “So, it was just kind of a little bit of that, but we'll get a look at Dobbs here and let him go.”

On Saturday against the Commanders, Dobbs will get the start under center, while Altmyer will come off the bench.

Altmyer, who made the start in the Lions’ preseason opener vs. the Bengals, completed 13-of-22 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in his first taste of NFL action. He was also responsible for two interceptions. However, in his defense, his first pick came on a pass that second-year receiver Isaac TeSlaa should have clearly caught.

All in all, the former Illinois signal-caller experienced his fair share of struggles, but also displayed solid poise in the pocket. If he's able to continue to show signs of growth the rest of the preseason, he could very well earn himself a spot on Detroit's 53-man roster to open the season. And at the very least, I believe Altmyer will start the season as a member of the team's practice squad.

At this present juncture, though, I believe that Dobbs holds the slight edge for the backup QB job in Motown.

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