Luke Altmyer waived by Lions as part of roster cutdown moves: report

The Detroit Lions have made a decision on their quarterback battle, waiving undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer with the cutdown deadline looming on Sunday, Aug. 30 (6 p.m.), according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

Pelissero added that the plan is for veteran Josh Dobbs to back up starter Jared Goff.

Altmyer, who acquitted himself well during the preseason and training camp, simply didn’t put together enough strong performances to secure a job on the 53-man roster. In Saturday’s finale against the Indianapolis Colts, Altmyer finished 7-for-11 passing for 55 yards, an interception and a fumble. Dobbs made an impressive last impression, going 15-for-19 for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason finale.

Aug 13, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Luke Altmyer (2) throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Altmyer, a former three-year starter at Illinois, went 29-for-46 passing (63.0%) for 271 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions with two fumbles across three preseason appearances for Detroit.

If Altmyer clears waivers, the Lions can retain his services by placing him on the practice squad and continuing to oversee his development.

Following Teddy Bridgewater’s sudden retirement earlier in training camp, the door was seemingly open for Altmyer to make his case for earning a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster. He showed steady growth throughout camp and played relatively clean in Detroit’s first two season games, outside of a self-inflicted fumble in the preseason opener against the Bengals.

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While he had two interceptions against the Bengals, the first came after a perfect pass bounced off the facemask of wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa; the next came with Detroit backed up near its own goal line in the final minute of the game.