Rejected Lions Quarterback Named No. 2 Best NFL Free Agent

Posted by author August 31, 2024 NFL

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One former Detroit Lions quarterback has been named the No. 2 best QB free agent going into the new season.

The Detroit Lions have two quarterbacks, Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker, on their 53-man roster, and they also signed quarterback Jake Fromm to their practice squad. But, they have not kept quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the fold for backup help. Now, Dallas Robinson of ProFootballNetwork.com has named Sudfeld the No. 2 best remaining free agent in the quarterback position.

Nate Sudfeld is Just Behind Ryan Tannehill

In an August 28 feature on the best remaining NFL free agents by position, Robinson listed Sudfeld as the No. 2 best quarterback still available in the league.

He noted that, “Sudfeld could end up back on the Detroit Lions’ taxi squad, especially since head coach Dan Campbell didn’t sound entirely sold on new QB2 Hendon Hooker,” but that seems unlikely, now that Detroit has brought Fromm onto the practice squad.

Robinson named Ryan Tannehill the No. 1 best remaining free agent in the quarterback position.

‘While Tannehill is coming off a disappointing season and has struggled with injuries for a few campaigns in a row, he’s easily the best QB option on the market,” Robinson wrote. “He’s 35 but still athletic enough to play in an offense that can get him on the move. Teams that finished near the bottom of Pro Football Network’s backup quarterback rankings might show interest in Tannehill with Week 1 approaching.”

Other quarterbacks to make the cut were C.J. Beathard at No. 3, Trevor Siemian at No. 4 and Blaine Gabbert at No. 5.

Not Everyone Thinks Nate Sudfeld is a Get

In a separate story about the best remaining free agents in the NFL, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report did not name Sudfeld as one of the best quarterbacks available on the market.

Knox was in agreement with Robinson on No. 1, though, and named Tannehill the best.

“Ryan Tannehill, who has been available all offseason, remains the top option for teams in need of an experienced spot starter or bridge option,” Knox wrote. “With 151 starts on his resume, the 36-year-old is a seasoned vet who may be more interested in the right opportunity than a hefty payday.”

Knox named Bailey Zappe and Desmond Ridder as the other two best free agents in the NFL going into the 2024-25 season. Zappe has since signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Nate Sudfeld ‘Has Never Started an NFL Game’

In an August 27 feature on Sudfeld not getting signed to the Lions, Detroit Free Press writer Dave Birkett wrote that although Sudfeld has experience, he also came with some baggage.

“Sudfeld, a sixth-round pick in 2016, has a world more experience than Hooker, a 2023 third-round pick who missed most of his rookie season while rehabbing from a torn ACL,” he wrote. “Most everyone agrees the Lions would have a better chance of winning a game tomorrow with Sudfeld (or Fromm) as their starting quarterback than Hooker.” However, Birkett noted that Sudfeld is “coming off a torn ACL and has never started an NFL game.”

Birkett also said that while “other teams may be interested in their services,” the “chances are remote” that Sudfeld and Fromm “would land opportunities that would be too prohibitive for the Lions to match.”

Fromm signed to the Lions’ practice squad on Aug. 28.

Anne Erickson Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter covering the NFL and college football for Heavy.com. Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson