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The Detroit Lions have brought back reserve quarterback Nate Sudfeld for the 2024 season. The team announced the signing on Wednesday.
Sudfeld was slated to be the Lions’ backup quarterback last season while rookie Hendon Hooker recovered from knee surgery. After joining the Lions prior to the 2022 season and playing sparingly in his first year in Detroit, the longtime Eagles backup struggled in training camp and preseason enough that the team brought in vet Teddy Bridgewater to compete with Sudfeld.
The competition was rendered moot when Sudfeld, now 30, tore his ACL in a preseason game. He spent the 2023 season on the Lions injured reserve.
Now he’s back, presumably as the No. 3 QB behind Jared Goff and Hooker. The Lions have talked up Hooker’s progress all offseason. Signing Sudfeld now could be a strong indication that the Lions are satisfied with the quarterback room as-is before the 2024 NFL draft.