With the NFL Combine in the books, it’s time to shift focus to free agency. The tampering period is just a week away, opening on March 10 at 12 p.m. ET. So we’re kicking off a series to preview each position and potential signings that may fit the Detroit Lions’ needs.

The Lions already have three quarterbacks rostered heading into the 2025 offseason, but outside of starter Jared Goff, they do not have much experience within the position group. Hendon Hooker and Jake Fromm have taken 33 and 113 NFL regular-season snaps, respectively, throughout their short careers. While the team appears to have confidence in them as backups to Goff moving forward, it would not be due diligence if the Lions’ front office did not explore other options at quarterback in free agency.

With plenty of experienced veterans, as well as promising younger players with ties to the coaching staff set to hit the open market in just a few weeks, Detroit will need to make some decisions on how they will want to build their quarterback room for 2025.

Lions free agency preview: Quarterbacks

Under contract: Jared Goff, Hendon Hooker, Jake Fromm
Free agents: Teddy Bridgewater (free agent profile)

Trey Lance, Dallas Cowboys

2024 stats: 4 games (1 start), 25-of-41 passing for 266 yards and 1 INT, 11 carries for 41 yards

The mere mention of the former third-overall draft pick may garner an instant and resounding “NO!” from some Lions fans, but Lance’s history with a new member of the Detroit offensive staff could give him an opportunity to secure a contract with the team at the start of the new league year.

New tight ends coach Tyler Roehl was Lance’s offensive coordinator at North Dakota State for his final two collegiate seasons. This kind of connection could be what the 24-year-old needs at this point in his career.

Lance is an athletic quarterback who still has a lot of football left in him. His career arc has taken an unfortunate turn over the years, first with suffering multiple minor injuries his rookie year and suffering a season-ending ankle injury just two weeks into his second season. He lost his starting job to Brock Purdy heading into the 2023 season. After being traded to Dallas that year, he served as the team’s third-string quarterback.

The biggest knocks on Lance’s play are things that can be improved. He doesn’t have the arm strength that a prototypical NFL quarterback would need, nor does he make the most accurate throws, but is coachable. Lance has been described as a film room junkie and would be a valuable addition both to the quarterback room but also as an extra eye on the sideline during game days.

Lance’s potential price tag is a bit of a question mark. Dallas declined his fifth-year option, which would have cost the team over $22 million in 2025. Instead, the team is letting him walk in free agency. Spotrac has Lance valued just shy of $2.1 million for 2025 despite him averaging over $8 million per season in his four-year career. If the Lions can swing for the lower number, Lance would be an exciting development project as a third-stringer behind Goff and Hooker.

Zach Wilson, Denver Broncos

2024 stats: None

The former Jets first-round pick was traded to Denver last offseason with the hopes of taking a starting role, only to be overshadowed by rookie Bo Nix. Wilson ended up serving as Denver’s third-string quarterback for the entirety of the 2024 season and did not see the field for even a single snap.

What makes the potential pairing of Wilson and the Lions interesting is his connection with new offensive coordinator John Morton. Morton, who was with the Broncos from 2023 to 2024, was Wilson’s passing game coordinator last season. Wilson, who has 33 career starts under his belt, could benefit from joining a system that he already has some familiarity with. The Lions would also benefit from having a capable, experienced quarterback to back up Goff and compete with Hooker for the second quarterback job. While Hooker has plenty of upside, Wilson could be the guy that the team trusts to go in should Goff go down.

Wilson’s play style is similar to Goff’s in some ways. He’s much better as a pocket passer than he is as a dual-threat. He has a strong arm and plays his best ball out of play-action. Where he struggles are things that hampered his abilities as a starter. His accuracy leaves receivers reaching for the ball often. When forced to go off script, Wilson really struggles at improvising and making the right decisions. His first read often becomes the pass he tries to force regardless of who else might be open. Luckily, Detroit isn’t looking for a starter, so these faults are not as important when scouting free agents. With time under Mark Brunell, some of these negatives can be fixed.

Wilson’s price tag will likely be higher than Lance’s as some teams could still value him as a starting-caliber backup versus a potential emergency second or third quarterback. Per Spotrac, he is looking at around a $3.3 million per-year average.

Kyle Trask, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2024 stats: 4 games (0 starts). 1-of-1 passing for 5 yards. 5 kneeldowns.

The life of a backup quarterback in the NFL isn’t all glitz and glam. Just look at Kyle Trask’s stat line for 2024. The 26-year-old has been a backup in Tampa Bay for the past four seasons for both Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield. In that span, he appeared in seven games a completed a whopping four passes.

So why would Trask be a good fit in Detroit? There’s a reason he stuck around in Tampa Bay for four years, and it wasn’t for his play. In practice and on the sideline, Trask was a valuable asset for the Buccaneers as someone who could thoroughly study the playbook, help the starters break down film, and assess the offense’s play on game day.

Trask is a true pocket passer who would benefit well from Detroit’s top-tier offensive line protecting him. While he is the most accurate of the free agents listed here, he struggles most of the three under pressure, even with a strong pocket around him. His biggest strength in his game is his mind. He can read defenses well and can go through his progressions, but doesn’t have the talent to always complement his mental abilities at quarterback.

If signed, Trask would be direct competition for Jake Fromm at that third quarterback spot. He would be a cheap free agent pickup with his running rate likely being no higher than $1.5 million per year.