Luke Altmyer’s path to the NFL didn’t end with the Detroit Lions’ final cuts. It just got more complicated.
After going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, the former Illinois quarterback signed with Detroit as an undrafted free agent and spent training camp with a real chance to climb the depth chart. That opening looked even bigger when Teddy Bridgewater retired from the NFL again, but Lions coach Dan Campbell still wanted a more seasoned option behind Jared Goff.
That’s where Josh Dobbs entered the picture. Detroit signed him before its first preseason game, and Altmyer’s bid to win the backup job took a major hit from there. On cut-down day, Campbell waived Altmyer, but the Lions kept him in the fold by bringing him back on the practice squad.
#illini Luke Altmyer lands on practice squad.
Tommy DeVito also started at practice squad. https://t.co/eYMBmdpz2x
- Carson Gourdie (@GourdieReport) August 31, 2026
For Illinois fans, the move carries a familiar feel. Altmyer now finds himself in the same general lane once occupied by Tommy DeVito, who was the starter at Illinois before him and later entered the NFL undrafted in 2023.
DeVito began with the New York Giants’ practice squad, then got his shot in Week 8 after injuries to Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. He was moved onto the active roster before Week 9, came in again for an injured Jones, and eventually inherited the starting job after Jones tore his ACL.
That stretch turned DeVito into “Tommy Cutlets,” even if the follow-up wasn’t nearly as smooth. He spent 2024 as the Giants’ third-string quarterback, was waived before the 2025 season, then was claimed by the New England Patriots one day later. He opened there as the third-stringer behind Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs, and now he’s the QB2 in New England after Joe Milton was cut.
That’s the part worth remembering for Altmyer. Landing on a practice squad is not the same as being pushed out the door.
Detroit kept him around, which says plenty about how the team views him, even if he still has plenty to learn as a rookie. Campbell said Altmyer needed reps, and he got useful ones in the preseason.
So no, this isn’t a dead end. It just means Altmyer’s next step will have to come the hard way. The practice squad isn’t the end of the world for the former Illinois standout.
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