Lions planning to add veteran QB amid Teddy Bridgewater departure

Dan Campbell announced on Sunday that backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was stepping away from the team.

It leaves the Lions‘ quarterback room with just franchise signal-caller Jared Goff and rookie undrafted free agent signing Luke Altmyer.

Campbell confirmed that the Lions are targeting some veteran quarterback help after Bridgewater’s departure.

“We’re going to add somebody. We like Luke. Luke is growing, Luke is getting better. He just needs reps. He needs a million reps. But, the reps that he has gotten to this point, he has improved. And so we like him. But, we are going to add somebody and we’d like to add a veteran quarterback. We’re hoping maybe something happens tomorrow. We’ll see. But, yeah, that’s the plan,” Campbell said.

Bridgewater’s exit means the Lions are looking to find someone like Bridgewater, who had 83 NFL regular-season games played and 65 career starts under his belt.

In the meantime, it adds some urgency to Altmyer’s development. First-year Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing shared his first impressions of Altmyer back in June during Detroit OTAs.

“I think unflappable I guess would be the word that comes to mind. Every day he’s the same guy. He puts in the same process, he works, he never seems overwhelmed by what we’re asking him to do or how we’re asking him to do it. He’s willing to learn and to work at it, which has been great,” Petzing said.

Petzing also offered some insight into how Goff was helping Altmyer transition into the NFL and what he is hoping to see in terms of progression from his rookie quarterback.

“How quickly can you pick it up? You’ve got to call the plays, you’ve got to get in and out of the huddle. At the quarterback position, you’re responsible for the 10 other guys. Are they doing what they’re supposed to be doing? Do you know when they’re not and can you correct it before it matters?

“I think that’s a big part of the process of playing quarterback and something that Jared obviously who’s been in the league for such a long time does at such a high level that you almost start to take it for granted. Some of the young guys have got to get there. To watch him do that is great for Luke. I think he’s really embraced that, and I think that’s been kind of the fun thing to get to work with him. You’re building it from the ground up, because he doesn’t have that foundation right now and so we’re trying to set that foundation. I think he’s embracing that challenge,” Petzing said.

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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions planning to add veteran QB amid Teddy Bridgewater departure