Injury has struck the quarterback position on the final night of the preseason.
Detroit Lions signal-caller Nate Sudfeld has been carted to the locker room after suffering a leg injury in an exhibition against Carolina at Bank of America Stadium. Sudfeld suffered the injury just moments after entering the game in the third quarter. He walked to the sideline, where the medical staff evaluated his right knee area, before getting carted back to the locker room.
It has been a rough few weeks for Sudfeld, who once looked like the favorite to back up Jared Goff for a second straight season. Then Detroit signed Teddy Bridgewater during the second week of camp, a 10-year veteran who has both starting experience as well as documented success as a backup. He’s also renowned for developing the young players around him, including at receiver. And with young receiver Jameson Williams struggling to find his way in Year 2, the Lions made a hard push to acquire the veteran quarterback.
Once Bridgewater agreed to join the team earlier this month, Sudfeld immediately fell onto the roster bubble, where he had to convince coaches he was worth carrying as a third quarterback. But that hasn’t happened. Sudfeld’s performance nosedived in camp, and didn’t get a single snap in an intrasquad scrimmage on Tuesday. In the preseason, he led the offense to just 10 points on 12 drives while completing 24 of 46 passes for 274 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
Then on his first series of the finale, he hobbled back to the sideline with his future in Detroit decidedly unclear. Rookie Adrian Martinez replaced him on the field.
The Lions have also lost Isaiah Buggs, a contender to start at defensive tackle.