Kellen Moore: Lions Smart to Sign QB Given Matthew Stafford's Injury History

The Detroit Lions were smart to sign Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, considering starting QB Matthew Stafford has a history of injuries.

Stafford, who threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns last season, played in all 16 games for the first time in his three-year career in 2011. He played in just 13 games over his first two pro seasons.

Moore is a good quarterback, but most importantly, he's a winner. He was 50-3 at Boise State and led the Broncos to a bowl game in every season of his collegiate career.

Moore will likely come into the season as the No. 3 quarterback on the Lions' roster, but if he impresses in the preseason, there's no reason he can't leapfrog Shaun Hill on the depth chart and go into Week 1 as the backup.

While at Boise State, Moore was accustomed to playing in very high-pressure situations on a week-to-week basis.

Since the Broncos were not in a BCS conference, they had to go undefeated to have a chance at securing a place in a major BCS bowl game.

That meant Moore was under immense pressure to be perfect nearly every week, and judging by his 50-3 record, he was as close to perfect as a college quarterback could have been.

For a team such as the Lions, who have huge expectations of their own heading into the 2012 NFL season, they have to bring in players who won't be fazed by the bright lights and pressure of being expected to succeed.

Moore will be able to step into the starting role if Stafford gets hurt, and be able to manage the offense well with the talent around him. He has good throwing accuracy and moves well in the pocket.

Signing Moore was a fantastic decision by the Lions, who have the talent needed to make a deep playoff run next season.

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