Jake Rudock reportedly turned down Detroit Lions’ contract

A week ago, the Detroit Lions signed five players to futures contracts, and third-string quarterback Jake Rudock was curiously not on the list, meaning he was immediately a free agent. The very next day the Lions signed former Spartan quarterback Connor Cook to a futures deal, signaling the definitive end of Rudock’s time with the Lions.

At the time, it wasn’t clear whether the Lions had decided to move on from Rudock or vice versa. However, a report from Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press suggests it was the quarterback’s decision to move on.

“The Lions opted to sign Cook to a futures deal after Rudock declined an offer to return,” Birkett wrote on Tuesday.

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. In the three years since the Lions drafted him in the sixth round, Rudock barely spent any time on the team’s active roster. For the entirety of the 2018 season, Rudock was stashed on the practice squad. The team decided that veteran quarter Matt Cassel—who had started just two games since 2016—was a more trustable backup quarterback.

So it appears Rudock is seeking an opportunity to compete as a backup elsewhere. At the moment, he remains unsigned.

As for the Lions, Cook will take his spot as the developmental quarterback. With Cassel’s contract expiring at the start of the league new year, Cook could potentially compete for the backup job, however, it’s likely the Lions will add at least one more quarterback, even if they decide to re-sign Cassel.