Lions' Caldwell: 'A lot of things' to like about Orlovsky as backup
Lions chose Dan Orlovsky over Jake Rudock, who will serve as the Lions' No. 3 quarterback from the practice squad
Jim Caldwell couldn't pinpoint one reason why the Detroit Lions picked Dan Orlovsky to be their backup quarterback over Jake Rudock. Instead, he said there were many.
"We take everything into consideration," Caldwell said before practice today. "Practice, games, meetings. That evaluation is wide and broad and just not a couple of different instances. But one thing we do, we got all three that are here. They're all getting better and we’re excited about that."
The Lions kept Orlovsky as the only backup to Matthew Stafford on their 53-man roster at Saturday's roster reduction, then re-signed Rudock to the practice after he cleared waivers on Sunday.
Rudock outplayed Orlovsky this preseason, leading the Lions in quarterback rating (96.3) and touchdowns (four). But he played exclusively with the third-team offense while Orlovsky took No. 2 reps.
Orlovsky, a career backup entering his 12th NFL season, threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns this preseason, but Caldwell said "there's a lot of things" to like about him as a backup.
"Obviously, he’s certainly one of those guys that’s been around, understands the league, understands what he’s sees from a defensive standpoint," Caldwell said. "He’s played in games, has experience under his belt. There’s a number of different things. He’s an outstanding leader. Just to name a few."
Orlovsky played eight games and made five starts with the Indianapolis Colts in 2011, when Caldwell was head coach and the Colts narrowly avoided an 0-16 season.
Orlovsky said the decision to retain him as the No. 2 quarterback “wasn’t like a surprise or anything,” and he said he takes seriously the responsibility of being an extra set of eyes and ears for Stafford on the field.
“I feel like I’m good at it,” Orlovsky said. “I’ve seen a lot. I’ve been playing football a long time, so I just see a lot. You have good relationships, so those relationships allow you to say some things potentially that if there wasn’t a good relationship you might hold back on. I try to do everything I can to whoever the starter is to give him as much as I can to help him play at as high of a level as he’s able to. That’s part of the job.”
Orlovsky played eight games and made five starts with the Indianapolis Colts in 2011, when Caldwell was head coach and the Colts narrowly avoided an 0-16 season.
Caldwell, who brought Orlovsky with him to Detroit in 2014, insisted that his experiences that year - the Colts' season fell apart when they didn't have an experienced backup for Peyton Manning - were not a factor in this weekend's decision.
"Every year’s different," Caldwell said. "That was several years ago. Certainly different circumstances. We try to learn from our experiences, but everything's different. Different team, different atmosphere. Just totally different."
Rudock, a sixth-round pick out of Michigan, was the only one of 10 Lions' draft picks not to make the 53-man roster or land on injured reserve.
Caldwell said Rudock will get the same developmental experience on practice squad as he would had he made the 53-man roster.
“He just needs to continue to work and progress,” Orlovsky said. “He’ll be fine. What he’s done is progress. That’s what you would expect and hope him to do is progress. He just needs to continue to do that and take advantage of this year of learning how to do it.”
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