The Detroit Lions don’t have many question marks on the offensive side of the ball, but we can say for sure that one of the few is the backup quarterback spot behind starter Jared Goff.
The Lions currently have a competition going on between second-year signal-caller Hendon Hooker and veteran Nate Sudfeld, both of whom aren’t sure things. Hooker didn’t play at all last season, so the jury is still out on him, and Sudfeld only has six career games under his belt and didn’t look good in preseason Week 1.
Knowing all that, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Lions to consider adding another option at the position, and CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin believes Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke could be a fit in a trade.
Three years removed from a spunky full-time gig as the Washington Commanders’ starter, Heinicke’s better suited coming off the bench, though he’s suddenly an odd fit in Atlanta, where the Falcons’ first-round pick of Michael Penix Jr. has left him a distant No. 3 behind Kirk Cousins. His experience (29 career starts) could be more valuable elsewhere as other teams scrounge for last-minute backup help.
Potential fits: Buccaneers, Lions, Vikings
As Benjamin notes, Heinicke has become expendable after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins and drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the same offseason, so he’s certainly a realistic option if the Lions want to shore things up.
Heinicke has more starting experience than Hooker and Sudfeld combined, and he has proven to be a serviceable option when given the football. Surrounded with the kind of elite offense the Lions have, he could definitely keep things afloat if Goff goes down to an injury for any length of time.
The last thing the Lions want is for a multi-week injury to Goff to derail a season in which they have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
As of right now, Heinicke, who would only cost a late-round pick in a trade, is a superior option on paper than both Hooker and Sudfeld and is someone Detroit should seriously consider if the team isn’t comfortable with its current options.
