Lions GM is preparing for a QB "curveball" in the draft
The Detroit Lions enter the 2023 NFL Draft with two picks in the top 18. While there are plenty of different directions Detroit could go in, general manager Brad Holmes is doing his homework on the quarterback position. Jared Goff and Nate Sudfeld are the only two quarterbacks currently on the Lions roster. Though Goff’s […]
The Detroit Lions enter the 2023 NFL Draft with two picks in the top 18. While there are plenty of different directions Detroit could go in, general manager Brad Holmes is doing his homework on the quarterback position.
Jared Goff and Nate Sudfeld are the only two quarterbacks currently on the Lions roster. Though Goff’s play in 2022 inspired confidence within the organization, Detroit isn’t contractually tied to a quarterback beyond the 2024 season.
Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell have stated that the team plans to add a quarterback at some point in the offseason. When asked about the possibility of drafting a signal caller, Holmes seems to have a plan.
“We’re doing the best we can,” Holmes said. “You don’t have a crystal ball, you’ve just got to do all the research, and we brought some quarterbacks in and did our just due on them. I say all the time, when you’re picking in the Top 10, you want to make sure you’re thorough on the quarterback market and I believe we’ve done that. We have a good idea. There’s always going to be a surprise on draft night, that’s what makes it fun, but we’ll definitely be prepared. We’ve got an idea, but you never know when a curveball might be thrown.”
There are more pressing needs when looking toward the 2023 season, but the Lions should absolutely use one of their nine draft picks on a quarterback. With four picks in the first two rounds Detroit can adequately address some crucial needs and still find a quarterback to sit behind Goff next season.
Holmes, as one would expect, appears to have a pretty solid handle on the team’s plan at quarterback. With prospects like Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud expected to be off the board early, the Lions could wind up taking Anthony Richardson or Will Levis at No. 6 overall, or opt to wait for a player like Hendon Hooker in the second round.
