On Wednesday night, the Detroit Lions revealed that veteran quarterback Nate Sudfeld has been re-signed. Terms of the contract were not immediately accessible.
Before the Lions made two big decisions at quarterback, Sudfeld was anticipated to start 2023. After signing veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to be the backup and mentor, they selected Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Sudfeld entered training camp with all signs pointing to him being the third-string quarterback (with Hooker on the Non-Football Injury list). The question was whether he would end up making the 53-man roster or spend the season on the practice squad. Unfortunately, the answer was neither, as Sudfeld tore his ACL in the preseason finale, moved to injured reserve, and missed the entire season.
Now that Jared Goff is back and Hooker is anticipated to take over as backup quarterback, Sudfeld takes on a crucial position as a helpful veteran who can provide wise advice. Goff has previously discussed Sudfeld’s significance in that capacity.
August last year, Goff added, “Nate’s been awesome.” “His manner with me on the sidelines has been fantastic. He’s been really helpful, and if his number is called, I know he’s been prepared to play.
Sudfeld has only played in six games since joining the league in 2016 as the Washington Commanders’ sixth-round selection. He’s completed 25 out of 37 throws for 188 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in those games.
One important thing to keep in mind regarding Sudfeld is the new emergency quarterback rule that passed at the owners meetings this week. The new rule states that teams can elevate an emergency quarterback from the practice squad an unlimited amount of times during the season. That could very well be the role that Sudfeld plays this year.
