Lions Sign Quarterback Luke Altmyer as UDFA
The Detroit Lions are reportedly signing former Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer as an undrafted free agent, according to Tom Pelissero. Finally, we have a third quarterback in the building.
Altmyer’s college journey reads like a typical quarterback story. Started at Ole Miss, got beat out by Jaxson Dart in 2022, and transferred to Illinois where he became a three-year starter for the Illini. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes.
His numbers at Illinois were solid if not spectacular. Over three seasons, he completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 7,607 yards, 57 touchdowns and 21 interceptions with a 7.7 yards per attempt average. His production climbed each year, with his senior campaign being his statistical best.
That final season looked pretty good on paper. He completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 22 touchdowns and just five interceptions, leading the Illini to a 9-4 record and a Music City Bowl win over Tennessee. Not bad for a transfer who had to rebuild his career.
What Altmyer Brings to Allen Park
As a prospect, Altmyer’s arm strength is decent but nothing that will make you forget about Matthew Stafford’s cannon. He gets praised for his football IQ though, and he showed decent mobility at Illinois with 741 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns over three seasons.
Let’s be real about where he sits on the depth chart. He’s firmly third behind starter Jared Goff and veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater. That’s not exactly breaking news.
But here’s the thing, if Altmyer can pick up the playbook quickly and put together a solid training camp and preseason, there’s a chance he could make the 53-man roster. If not, the practice squad is always an option for development. Either way, the Lions finally have that third quarterback they’ve been missing and a developmental piece who might grow into something useful down the road.
Is signing an undrafted quarterback from Illinois the move that puts us over the top, or are we just collecting depth pieces like Pokemon cards? Let me know what you think in the comments.
Finally getting a legit third QB in the building is exactly what we needed. Altmyer’s got the smarts and that senior year showed he can ball out when given the chance. Maybe he’s the next guy who just needed the right opportunity to prove himself.
Look I get it, depth is important, but I’ve been down this road before where we get excited about a UDFA QB and then he never does anything. Not saying Altmyer won’t work out, but I’ll believe it when I see him actually contribute on Sundays.
You know back in the day we’d just throw whoever was available out there and hope for the best. At least now we’re being thoughtful about building depth. This kid earned his shot at Illinois and that’s something to respect, even if he’s just a third stringer.