Matthew Stafford is entering his 11th season as the Detroit Lions starting quarterback. He hasn’t missed a start since 2010 and has posted a winning record as a starter since the start of 2013, with the most fourth-quarter comeback wins of anyone in that timeframe. Stafford is unquestionably the Lions commander.
But what happens if his remarkable durability streak takes a hit?
Last year’s backup, Matt Cassel, is (mercifully) gone. The Lions have two options for the No. 2 spot in veterans Connor Cook and Tom Savage.
Cook, 26, has one career start — in a playoff game, no less. A fourth-round pick by the Raiders in 2016, the Michigan State product washed out quickly in Oakland after his ill-fated start against the Texans as a rookie playing without either regular starting offensive tackle to help him.
Savage, 29, has a 2-7 record as a starting QB with the Texans in 2016-17. He spent 2018 with the Saints as a backup but never got on the field.
Cook impressed in the brief look we got during the first week of OTAs, showing a strong arm and some accuracy down the field. Savage has been streaky throughout his career dating back to his college days at Pitt and Rutgers. He legitimately beat out a rookie Deshaun Watson with a fantastic preseason in 2017, but got yanked at halftime of Week 1 after getting sacked six times.
There is no third option because the Lions do not have any other QBs in camp and nobody better than either option here is currently available in free agency.
