Kellen Moore: Detroit Lions Rookie QB Far from Roster Lock After Rocky Minicamp

NFL careers certainly aren't made or lost during a player's first rookie minicamp, but if quarterback Kellen Moore looks as shaky as he reportedly did during the weekend, his spot on the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster for 2012 will be far from a lock. 

John Krueger of CBS Sports was less than impressed with Moore's performance at the Lions' rookie minicamp.

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QB Kellen Moore's passing improved during Detroit's rookie mini-camp practice Sunday, but his performance over the three-day orientation left a lot to be desired. Moore wasn't consistent in drills, and his effort gave credence to questions surrounding his arm strength that saw him go undrafted. Non-roster invitee QB RJ Archer, who was given leave from the Arena Football League's Georgia Force to attend Detroit's workouts, outperformed Moore at times.

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Moore is entering the NFL as one of college football's most decorated quarterbacks. He won an FBS record 50 games at Boise State‚ including a BCS game win over TCU during his sophomore season, and was also the school's first ever Heisman Trophy finalist in 2010-11. 

For his career, Moore threw 142 touchdowns against just 28 interceptions over four years of starting experience. With a win over Arizona State in his final college game, Moore finished with a 50-3 career record. Two of the losses came on late field goals that would have won the game.

But despite the wins and accolades, overwhelming concerns over Moore's height (6'0") and arm strength ensured he would go undrafted during the 2012 NFL draft. The Lions picked up Moore shortly after the draft's conclusion as a priority undrafted free agent. 

While the Lions currently have just three quarterbacks on the 90-man roster—Moore, unquestioned starter Matthew Stafford and 32-year-old Shaun Hill—head coach Jim Schwartz was uncommitted to keeping three quarterbacks on the roster. 

From Justin Rogers of MLive.com:

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We'll see how it shakes (out). We're going to keep our best 53 players when we get out of training camp. To make that decision now is not a wise decision. We've got to see who our best 53 is. Last year, we kept three, but it doesn't mean that we'll keep three this year and it doesn't mean that we'll keep two. It's just really dependent on how it goes and who earns a spot on the 53-man roster.

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A disappointing minicamp isn't the start Moore needed to improve his chances of cracking the 53-man roster.

You would be hard-pressed to say he's even close to being one of the best 53 players currently on the Lions' roster, and if you are to believe Schwartz at his word, that would mean the Lions are more likely to enter the 2012 season with two quarterbacks instead of three.

If Detroit thinks another player in training camp can help the up-and-coming Lions more during next season than a quarterback in need of as much development as Moore, Schwartz would be crazy to waste that roster spot. 

It certainly wouldn't be the first time an NFL team started a season with just two quarterbacks on the roster.

As Rogers points out in his piece, 13 of the 32 NFL teams started the 2012 season with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Pro Football Talk provided that piece of information.

While Moore has the kind of underdog story that people gravitate to, and everyone from Idaho to Prosser, Washington will defend Moore as the next coming of Drew Brees or Tom Brady. The fact of the matter is that the Lions could very well be a team that starts next season with two quarterbacks on the roster. 

There is also reason to think the struggles from minicamp could translate to the shining lights of training camp.

An unorthodox throwing motion is coupled with limited athleticism and a weak arm, at least in NFL standards. His slender frame might have a hard time adjusting to the professional game, too.

Overall, Moore clearly has a long ways to go in terms of playing the position at an NFL level.

Kruger agreed that Moore's roster spot is far from set in stone. 

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Moore's streaky performances and odd throwing mechanics haven't inspired confidence. Moore seemed destined for the third QB spot because GM Martin Mayhew said he valued carrying three QBs on the roster. Schwartz, however, said there is no guarantee Detroit will use three QBs. Moore's performances will need to improve if he wants to earn a roster spot.

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You can't write a full story on a player off one rookie minicamp, but Moore's struggles to adjust could be indicative of what's ahead early in his NFL career.

If he is as up-and-down during training camp as Kruger reported him to be this weekend, chances are high that Detroit will enter 2012 with just two quarterbacks on the roster.