Brad Holmes: Lions' Backup QB Situation Took Unexpected Detour

The Detroit Lions were not expecting to have to sign a new backup quarterback when training camp began.

On Thursday, journeyman quarterback Nate Sudfeld took the field at the Detroit Lions' Allen Park practice facility for the first time. 

If everything had gone according to plan, both Tim Boyle and David Blough would be still on the active roster, aiding Jared Goff in the team's preparation for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Unfortunately, Detroit's backup quarterback situation has become the hot topic, entering the start of the season. Boyle and Blough are not currently on the team's active roster. 

While Blough could still be added to the practice squad, all confidence has been lost that he could step in and fill the void, if Goff went down with an injury. 

Lions general manger Brad Holmes and the coaching staff signed Sudfeld to take over the backup spot, and have a plan in place to help him get caught up to speed. 

"Every single decision we're making goes through a very thorough process. 

"We want to be as rational and sound in our judgment as possible," said Holmes, when asked about the backup quarterback issue. "Even with Tim (Boyle), being that the wins didn't come in the games that he played, those were the first games that he ever played in his entire life. We saw some things that encouraged us to want to keep working with him. Bringing back Blough, and he's got previous experience. So, we had the plan in place. We felt good about it, and they just didn't quite make the jump that we expected them to make. You just got to make some tough decisions, and you've just got to just find the best solution that you can."

The team decided to eventually part ways with both, and will now look to Sudfeld to back up Goff. 

One advantage is the veteran backup could provide some scouting reports on the Eagles. Sudeld spent four seasons with the team, prior to his stint with the San Francisco 49ers. 

Despite the unexpected detour, Holmes and the front office felt the decision to bring in the veteran signal-caller has a good chance to be a successful one. 

"We had a plan in place for the backup quarterback position. It kind of took a detour that was unexpected," Holmes said. "But, you got to be prepared for that. And, we just kind of made it work the best way we can. We did what's best for the organization at this time. 

"There's a lot of different options you could go. You can trade a bunch of draft capital for a backup quarterback. There's a lot of different options you can go, but we did the best thing for the Detroit Lions."