Tag: Nate Sudfeld

Lions vs Giants: Best and worst PFF grades from Detroit’s preseason win

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Detroit Lions against the New York Giants.

The Detroit Lions kicked off their season with a 21-16 victory over the New York Giants in their first preseason game. Despite many of the team’s key players sitting out, the Lions’ management was able to evaluate potential roster candidates.

The game started off slowly, with the offense struggling, but the defense saved the day by repeatedly stepping up to the challenge and shutting down their opponents. Although some areas showed promise, others may require further evaluation by the Lions’ management.

Here are the standout performances from this week’s best and worst Pro Footbal Focus (PFF) performers, highlighting those who impressed and those who fell short in their bid for a coveted roster spot.

Lions stock report: Which players rose and which fell in the preseason opener

Detroit Lions stock report: Which players rose and which fell in the preseason opener

Preseason games are about player evaluation and opportunity. Sure, it’s great that the Detroit Lions beat the New York Giants on Friday night in the exhibition opener. However, the preseason contest was much more important in giving Lions players chances to raise their stock with the team.

Some players succeeded, while others squandered chances to help themselves make the final 53-man roster. Here’s who stood out for helping themselves and also which players did not in Detroit’s 21-16 win.

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Stud and Duds for the Lions’ preseason win against the Giants

Here is the breakdown of Detroit Lions Studs and Duds for their preseason victory over the New York Giants

The Detroit Lions kicked off their football season with a 21-16 preseason win over the New York Giants.

Despite the Giants’ favorable starting field position, it was evident early on that the Lions defense had made significant progress during the offseason. They displayed impressive run defense, quarterback pressure and tight coverage. It’s still early in the season to make any judgments, but it’s reassuring to see the team’s improvement paying off.

As you reflect on the game, keep an eye out for standout players vying for roster spots, as well as those who fell short and may not make the cut. The following are the Lions’ Studs and Duds for this week.

Quick takeaways from the Lions preseason win vs. the Giants

Here are a few things that stood out for the Lions in the preseason opening win vs. the Giants

Football returned to Ford Field on Friday night when the Detroit Lions hosted the New York Giants in the preseason opener for both teams. After two days of spirited joint practices, the two teams took their action to the exhibition field.

The Lions wound up winning the game, 21-16, when rookie QB Adrian Martinez scored a late rushing TD. The game outcome doesn’t matter, it’s the path to the outcome and the play of the Lions players that means everything. Even so, the 48,000-plus fans enjoyed the exhibition victory.

Here are a few things that stood out in watching the game live in the stadium.

6 Winners from the Detroit Lions OTAs and minicamp

Identifying six players from the Detroit Lions OTAs and minicamp who helped themselves the most

We won’t see the Detroit Lions on the field again until late July. The OTA workouts and mandatory minicamp of the last two weeks were our last glimpse at the team heading into the heart of the offseason.

Several Lions players impressed during the practice sessions that were open to the media. I sifted through my notes to identify the six who did the most to help their status with the team.

Lions minicamp notebook: Day 3 wrap up

Notes and observations from Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon on the final day of Detroit Lions minicamp

The final day of the Detroit Lions three-day mandatory minicamp took place at the team’s training facility on Thursday. The team packed in some situational football and positional drills in a fast-paced session to wrap up the week.

Here are some quick notes on what we saw and heard on the final day of Lions minicamp.

Ben Johnson loves the Lions backup QB room and the roles they serve

Detroit OC Ben Johnson loves the Lions backup QB room and the roles they serve behind Jared Goff

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The backup quarterback situation in Detroit has been a sore point since well before Dan Campbell took over as head coach in 2021. To that point, the QB room has been revamped behind unquestioned starter Jared Goff entering 2023. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is a big fan of the group, which includes Nate Sudfeld, Hendon Hooker and Adrian Martinez as the team enters mandatory minicamp this week.

Johnson was asked about his thoughts on the backup QBs during his media session prior to Thursday’s practice.

“Yeah, no, I love the room right now,” Johnson said immediately. “There is a great camaraderie in there and I think that is really important when you need to find that backup quarterback position.”

In referencing Sudfeld and the reserves behind Goff, Johnson basically declared what he wants in a No. 2 quarterback.

“It’s not only a guy that can go in there and win games, but for the majority of the season, if all things go right, he is there to support that starter,” Johnson said. He then added,

“And we have that right now, not only with Nate (Sudfeld) and  Hendon (Hooker) and Adrian (Martinez), we have a good group. And they are learning, they are growing.”

Sudfeld didn’t join the team until September last year after the Lions summarily dispatched backups Tim Boyle and David Blough in the final cutdowns. In our first real look at Sudfled throwing in last week’s OTA session, it wasn’t all too impressive.

Martinez is an undrafted rookie from Kansas State who struggled with accuracy and decision-making in college. His live arm and running ability have already been on display in the early offseason. Hooker is still not cleared to throw after December ACL surgery, but the third-round rookie from Tennessee is very highly regarded inside the building.

It’s too early to judge if the team has truly upgraded the ability to win a game if Goff gets hurt. That’s what the upcoming minicamp, training camp and preseason are for. Hooker will be the No. 2 once he’s healthy, but that timeframe is up in the air. On the concept of supporting the starter, everything looks just fine so far.

Goff and Sudfeld clearly have a good relationship. Sudfeld is an experienced backup in a variety of situations and knows his role. In the two open OTA practices, we did see Goff interacting with Martinez and Hooker quite a bit, which is a good sign.

Johnson also left the door open a crack for potentially adding another option, though it also sounded very clear that he doesn’t believe the Lions will need to open that door.

“And once again, we are evaluating consistently we are putting pressure on them consistently to see what they can do out on the field in team settings. The truth really comes out, I believe, when you have the bullets flying for real, which we can’t have right now. So, the training camp will really tell us where we are at behind Jared, but so far, I feel really good about that room.”

NFL rule change could impact what the Lions do at QB on game days

A new NFL rule change could impact what the Lions do at QB on game days

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The NFL owners adopted a new rule regarding game rosters that should pay immediate benefits for the Detroit Lions.

In their latest owner’s meetings, the league passed a rule that allows teams to keep a third quarterback active for a game without counting as a roster pot toward the game limit.

The rule effectively allows teams to dress the third quarterback for a game without having him soak up a roster spot. Using the Lions as an example, it would allow current reserves Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld to remain on the 53-man roster and active for games. However, only one of them would count toward the active gameday roster.

Instead of having to perhaps keep Hooker active as the No. 3 in Week 1 and deactivate another position player who might actually play outside of emergency circumstances, now that choice doesn’t need to be made. Hooker can stay active, and the Lions can also keep an extra defensive back or running back healthy.

It gives the Lions (and other teams) more gameday roster flexibility to handle a rash of injuries at one position group. This can help the Lions deal with Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow being perennially questionable with his toe injury. Detroit can now keep an extra offensive lineman active without the risk of having to play without a quarterback if both Jared Goff and Sudfeld were rendered incapable of playing.

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Here is the NFL’s official rule explanation via NFL.com,

One hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff, each club is required to establish its Active List for the game by notifying the Referee of the players on its Inactive List for that game. Each club may also designate one emergency third quarterback from its 53-player Active/Inactive List (i.e., elevated players are not eligible for designation) who will be eligible to be activated during the game, if the club’s first two quarterbacks on its game day Active List are not able to participate in the game due to injury or disqualification (activation cannot be a result of a head coach’s in-game decision to remove a player from the game due to performance or conduct). If either of the injured quarterbacks is cleared by the medical staff to return to play, the emergency third quarterback must be removed from the game and is not permitted to continue to play quarterback or any other position, but is eligible to return to the game to play quarterback if another emergency third quarterback situation arises.

A club is not eligible to use these procedures if it carries three quarterbacks on its game day Active List [47- or 48-players in 2023].

It’s a smart reversion to what was the standard NFL rule from 1991-2010.

Editor’s note: A portion of this was deleted after the interpretation of the rule was incorrect

Watch: Detroit Lions Podcast breakdown of owners’ meetings, draft plans and more

The latest episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast covers what happened at the owners’ meetings and sets up the NFL draft plans

The latest episode of the Detroit Lions Podcast breaks down the most recent developments on the Detroit Lions, including what was said and done at the NFL owners’ meetings by GM Brad Holmes, head coach Dan Campbell and team president Rod Wood. From free agent moves to what the Lions can do in the upcoming 2023 NFL draft, it’s a fun discussion about where the team is at and where it can still get better over the next few months.

We get into some likely draft targets at the end of the show for each of the team’s first two picks. Remember–what the Lions will do might not necessarily be what the fans hope for at this point. There is also some discussion on the return of Nate Sudfeld and the team’s overarching strategy in finding quarterbacks behind starter Jared Goff. There are also quick hits on DJ Chark, Jamaal Williams and what Goff’s next contract might look like.

The audio-only version of the show is available here or via your favorite podcast provider,

Dan Campbell press conference highlights from the NFL owners’ meeting

Nate Sudfeld returns to the Lions at backup QB

The Lions have brought back Nate Sudfeld to back up Jared Goff at QB

The Lions are keeping the same quarterback depth chart from 2022 in place for 2023, at least heading into the NFL draft.

The team announced it has signed Nate Sudfeld back to the roster as a free agent. Sudfeld was the backup behind Jared Goff during the 2022 season. He played in just two games and did not throw a pass.

The 29-year-old Sudfeld joined the Lions after being cut by the San Francisco 49ers in the final roster cutdowns. Detroit waived both Tim Boyle and David Blough and needed an option, and Sudfeld filled the role.

In seven career seasons across several NFL teams, Sudfeld has completed 25 of his 37 pass attempts, throwing one TD and one INT. He last threw a regular-season pass in 2020 for the Eagles.