One of the Lions’ biggest steals from the 2026 NFL Draft may never start a game for them

The Lions may have found themselves a premium backup quarterback in Luke Atlmeyer

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer
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Dec 30, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) celebrates the win against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

I think the Detroit Lions had a really good draft haul in the 2026 NFL Draft. I actually graded it pretty high.

But one of the biggest steals they got in this draft was actually a guy they didn’t even draft. I’m talking about a guy they signed as an undrafted free agent. Let’s talk about it.

The Lions might have landed a premium backup quarterback option in Luke Altmeyer

Look, I know that might not seem like a super exciting thing. When a team gets a quarterback, you automatically wonder if he could someday be the starter for that team. That’s probably never happening with Altmeyer. At least not in an every game way or a franchise quarterback way. He should not be expected to supplant Jared Goff at any point.

But what you can get out of Altmeyer is a guy who can come ina ND do just enough to get the job done if he has to start.

Let me break it down in a way I think all Lions fans will understand. Think about the times in your life as a Lions fan where you knew the upcoming opponent would have their backup quarterback in and how you got excited about it.

Then you watched that backup quarterback dink and dunk his way up and down the field and just beat up the Lions in the most boring way possible. I’m talking death by a thousand check-downs. That is Luke Altmeyer. This is the Lions getting their version of that guy.

He doesn’t throw the ball outside of the stadium as John Elway did in those old Koosh Vortex commercials, and he’s not leaving the pocket to scamper 60 yards down the field. It’s more about what he doesn’t do, and that’s make a whole lot of mistakes. He’s thrown 11 interceptions in the last two seasons combined.

The guy can manage a game like it’s nobody’s business, and that is what you need from a backup quarterback. Management and as few mistakes as possible.

The issue here is that Teddy Bridgewater is standing in his way. He may have to be a practice squad guy in year one. The other issue is that the Lions may be one of the teams that get in on the crazy quarterback draft that the 2027 NFL Draft is expected to be. So we’ll see. But there is a lot of upside with Altmeyer.

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