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NFL free agency is less than a week away, so it’s time to take one last look at the Detroit Lions roster and the external players who may gain their attention.
This is the beginning of a series of articles that will explore the Lions’ free agent options by position. I won’t preview every position—namely wide receiver and defensive tackle will be skipped due to lack of general need—but we’ll get a comprehensive look at options for Detroit when free agency opens on March 11.
Let’s start at backup quarterback.
Under contract:
- QB Jared Goff
Lions free agents:
- QB Kyle Allen
- QB C.J. Beathard
Obviously, the Lions aren’t in the market for a starting quarterback, but they could be looking to upgrade the backup position. They’ve been pretty lucky in the Jared Goff era, as the veteran quarterback hasn’t missed a game in his last four seasons.
Allen turns 30 later this month, but handily won the backup competition last year after a strong preseason. He could very well return to provide some veteran eyes in the quarterback room. Allen’s winning of the backup job meant the end of Hendon Hooker’s time, leaving Detroit with a developmental quarterback vacancy, should they want one.
Top free agent backup QBs available:
Note: Estimated contract numbers are via PFF.
- QB Marcus Mariota (estimated deal: 1 year, $15M)
- QB Russell Wilson (1 year, $6.5M)
- QB Jimmy Garoppolo (1 year, $3M)
- QB Kenny Pickett (1 year, $2.25M
- QB Tyrod Taylor (1 year, $2.75M)
Given their cap situation, I don’t think the Lions are likely to spend anything north of $4 million on a backup quarterback. Last year, Allen made $1.27 million as the primary backup.
Russell Wilson does have a connection to the Lions with Mike Kafka now on Detroit’s coaching staff, but they’d have to be crazy to make him the backup after a disastrous year in New York.
However, Tyrod Taylor shares that same connection with Kafka and could come at a much cheaper price. Taylor wasn’t great last year in four starts for the Jets (59.7 completion %, 5 TDs, 5 INTs, 72.9 passer rating), but problems ran deep with that offense.
Best fits:
- QB Kyle Allen
- QB Tyrod Taylor
- QB Teddy Bridgewater
- QB Case Keenum
- QB Jeff Driskel
It probably makes most sense to just run it back with Allen, but with the change in offensive coordinator, it’s certainly possible Drew Petzing takes the backup job in a new direction. I like that Taylor would bring something different to the position while also providing the same veteran knowledge that Allen boasts, but I do wonder if the Lions are really willing to spend more on the position, even if it is just $1-2 million more.
A reunion with Teddy Bridgewater is certainly on the table, provided that he still wants to play in the NFL. Dan Campbell raved about his value in the locker room, and he even got a little playing time with the Buccaneers last year. Like Allen, he would only cost somewhere near the veteran minimum.
Keenum and Driskel were added because of their ties to Petzing. While never directly coaching his room, Petzing was on the Browns’ and Vikings’ coaching staffs when Keenum was there in 2020-21 and 2017, respectively. Driskel, who was with the Lions in 2019, was with the Cardinals under Petzing in 2023 and briefly in 2025. Neither player has thrown a regular season pass since 2023, though.