53-man rosters have now been finalized ahead of the Week 1 slate, and the Lions appear to boast one of the best rosters in the league.
One thing notable about the Lions' roster is that there are only two quarterbacks- Jared Goff and Kyle Allen. Allen impressed in the preseason and earned the backup job over Hendon Hooker, and Hooker is now on the Panthers' practice squad.
The Lions had hoped to develop Hooker, but it just never worked out in Detroit. Hooker dealt with injury issues and inconsistent play during his time in the Motor City and will now look to make his mark in his home state.
Teams typically carry three quarterbacks, especially since the NFL added the emergency quarterback role in 2023. It's even more common to keep a passer on the practice squad, but the Lions have done neither.
Head coach Dan Campbell was recently asked about what the team would be looking for in a third quarterback.
"I would say that we're looking for somebody that, if we need them, we know they can run the show," Campbell stated. "They can run the offense, they can process the information more than — can we find a guy to develop, you know, that's unknown."
Campbell's comments seem to suggest that adding an undrafted free agent probably isn't a route the team is interested in taking. Teams will usually stash a UDFA on the practice squad to see if they can develop him, but Campbell wants experience.
"I'd rather have a guy that--somebody that we are familiar with, or somebody you just know (that) they get in the game and they're going to get you into the right play and be smart with the football," Campbell continued.
If Campbell wants someone he's familiar with, then that narrows down the options even further. Jeff Driskel, Jake Fromm, and Tim Boyle are some notable unsigned passers who previously played for the Lions. Fromm was on the team as recently as 2024, so he's probably a name to watch.
John Wolford is another interesting name as the veteran was Goff's backup in Los Angeles. Desmond Ridder and C.J. Beathard are two other names that could interest the Lions due to their starting experience.
Of course, there are several teams that have three quarterbacks, and even some that have four, so the Lions could probably work out a trade if an injury happened. The 53-man roster is just too deep to carry three quarterbacks right now.