While Jared Goff remains the face of the Detroit Lions' offense, GM Brad Holmes recently praised a newly added quarterback to the roster. He has been appreciated for a skillset that noticeably differs from Detroit’s longtime starter.

During an interview on Sirius XM's NFL Radio on Friday, the Lions GM Brad Holmes revealed that they are intrigued by the pocket efficiency of their new QB Luke Altmyer.

“But you’re right, he just has a cerebral calmness about him," Holmes said. "...He can play the quarterback position, he showed that, but he’s also a lot more mobile than you think from a guy that actually can do a lot of different things from the pocket.”

The Motor City team signed Altmyer, a standout quarterback from Illinois, as an undrafted free agent (UDFA) this off-season.

With their recent addition, the Lions have Jared Goff as their primary QB. Followed by Teddy Bridgewater as his backup, and Luke Altmyer as the QB3. 

As per Sports Reference, he recorded 242 rushing yards in his last collegiate season. The rookie QB is primarily known for his ability to lead last-minute winning drives, his high IQ, and "within-structure" passing style capability during his time in Illinois. 

Whereas, Jared Goff is widely considered a "classic pocket passer" whose primary weakness is a lack of functional mobility, according to 97.1 The Ticket. 

In his last season leading the Lions, he covered only 45 rushing yards. Throughout his career, the highest production he has given is in rushing yards at 108.  

According to Sports Illustrated, the “dual-threat” QB has to compete with Bridgewater to make his way onto the quarterback depth chart.

His athletic profile gives Detroit a different developmental quarterback option behind Goff, compared to the traditional pocket-passers the Lions have previously relied on.

Luke Altmyer Expected to Learn Behind Jared Goff in Lions System

Ahead of the 2026 NFL season, the Detroit Lions front office has found a developmental quarterback option for the future.

According to Pro Football Reference, Jared Goff has been highly productive at his position since 2022. Even when the Lions narrowly missed the playoffs by 9-8, Jared Goff threw for more than 4,500 yards and 36 touchdowns last year.

However, the Detroit Lions believe they may have found an intriguing prospect with arguably better rushing mobility in Altmyer. 

“I think just his above-the-neck ability, his intelligence, his natural throwing motion, and when you add in the ability to do some things with his legs, just really thrilled with him,” Holmes said.

Under Dan Campbell’s “GRIT” environment, the coaching staff will be closely evaluating the rookie during OTAs and training camp.

“He’s got the right football character, makeup, and intelligence. We’re excited to see him when he gets here and gets rolling,” Holmes stated about Altmyer.

With Goff firmly established as Detroit’s starter, the rookie now enters a situation where development, patience, and learning the system will become his early priority.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Rishab Nandi