Luke Altmyer knows exactly what changed when Teddy Bridgewater stepped away from the Detroit Lions.The room got thinner.The reps got more valuable.And for a rookie quarterback trying to prove he belongs in the NFL, the opportunity got very real.First of all, best wishes to Teddy with the rest of his career, whatever that looks like, Altmeyer said. Ive been so thankful to spend time with him and Jared and learn from both of them. They have different perspectives and different ways of seeing things. It was a joy to spend some time with Teddy.Altmyer did not spend much time dwelling on what Detroit lost. His focus quickly shifted to what now sits in front of him.It brings an opportunity for me. The standard is to play good football. No matter how many reps I get or what my role is, I have a job to do. My job is to do it very well and at a high level. Im thankful. I believe in my abilities, and Im going to go cut it loose, whatever that looks like for me.That is the line Lions fans should remember.Go cut it loose.Altmyer Is Learning FastThe biggest adjustment for any rookie quarterback is rarely one thing.It is everything.The speed. The volume. The protections. The terminology. The amount of information that has to be processed before the ball is even snapped.Altmyer has felt all of it.Ive improved in all areas. There are so many little details and nuances at this level that you dont necessarily get at the college level. There are things with formations, protections, the running game and defensive schemes that you have to master. There are little things every day that Im picking up on.He also understands he is not expected to have it all figured out yet.Im playing in the huddle more. Were playing with different groups and personnel packages. Im seeing different defenses. Im not mastering all of that right now.That kind of self-awareness is useful.So is the environment around him.Jared Goff Is Showing Him What the Job Looks LikeAltmyer has spent the summer watching Jared Goff up close, and what stands out most is not one throw or one flashy practice rep.It is the routine.Professionalism is the word. He does things at a high level consistently, day after day. He does the mundane things and the ordinary things at a very high level. He makes the ordinary look extraordinary.That might be one of the better descriptions of Goffs value inside the Lions organization.Quarterbacking at a high level is not just about Sunday afternoon. It is about what happens on Tuesday morning, Wednesday in the meeting room and Thursday during a walkthrough when nobody outside the building is paying attention.Altmyer is trying to copy that.I try to master that, too. At this position, especially during training camp, things can become pretty mundane and ordinary. He does the little things at a very high level over and over again. He doesnt let a rep go by, a moment go by or a conversation go by. I try to match him in a lot of ways. He has done it at a high level.For a rookie, that is a pretty good model to have sitting a few feet away.Teddy Bridgewater Left Another Lesson BehindBridgewaters influence appears to have been different.Altmyer watched Goffs precision and professionalism.From Bridgewater, he noticed calm.He was so easygoing. I observed him a lot, and the thing that stood out was his confidence. He wasnt afraid of anything. He trusted his abilities, and he was confident in his own skin.Altmyer returned to that theme again when describing what he wants to carry forward.He has been gifted at a very high level by the man above. You could just tell there was almost no tension with him. I try to carry that with myself. I try to be confident in my abilities because I saw a lot of that from him.That could matter quite a bit when Altmyer takes his first preseason snaps.The rookie will be excited. He knows that.The challenge will be making sure the emotion does not take over.His First NFL Game Is ComingAltmyer is not trying to hide how much this moment means.What an awesome opportunity. Its exactly what I could ever dream of. To be able to play NFL football, get a lot of opportunities on that field and lead my guys, what a cool deal that is.For him, this is not just another preseason game.It is the first chance to put months of work on tape against NFL competition.You grow up wanting this. Im grateful and blessed. Im not going to let this opportunity go by. Im going to take full advantage of it. Im going to prepare the right way and be ready for it. Im excited.That sounds like a player who knows every snap matters.And with Bridgewater no longer occupying a spot in the quarterback room, those snaps may carry even more weight.More Reps, More ConfidenceAltmyer has been clear about one thing throughout camp.He needs reps.Ive always been a reps guy. The more reps I get, the more comfortable and confident I feel out there. I got a lot of work with the twos and the third group. There was a lot put on me.He sees that workload as a benefit, not a burden.Those situations help me grow and develop. They stretch me into somebody who can operate at a higher level every time I step onto the field. It has been great. The more reps I get, the more comfortable and confident I feel. Im excited to keep going.That is exactly what preseason football is supposed to be for a player in his position.Detroit already knows what it has in Goff.Now the Lions need to learn what Altmyer can become.Detroit Is Coaching Him HardAltmyer is also getting no shortage of voices in his ear.Bruce coaches me on every play. It isnt just him. Coach Kafka, Tui and even Jared are always having conversations with me. Theyre always trying to help me get better.That quarterback room is loaded with experience, and Altmyer understands the advantage.Its crazy. Coach Brunell is a legend in Jacksonville and everywhere he has been. Tui has played at a high level, and Coach Kafka has done it at a high level, too. There are incredible offensive minds and a lot of great perspectives around me.Sometimes, the best thing a young quarterback can do is stop talking and listen.Altmyer knows that, too.Sometimes I just sit quietly in that room and listen. I observe and retain information that way. It has been fun. Im grateful for the position Im in, and Im going to take full advantage of it.He Knows Failure Is Part of ThisRookie quarterbacks are going to miss throws.They are going to misread coverages.They are going to hold the ball too long.Altmyer is not expecting a clean climb.A big part of this journey for rookies, and for me, is failing and seeing how you respond. Its about learning from mistakes.That is probably the right mindset for what is coming.He also knows the list of things he needs to improve is still long.There are tons of things. Timing, mechanics and seeing the field. There are multiple areas where I can continue to improve.The Lions are not looking for perfection right now.They are looking for growth.His Family Will Be WatchingThere is another layer to Altmyers first preseason appearance.His family will be there.My immediate family will be there, my parents and my two brothers. Theyre stoked. Theyre just as excited as I am.His grandparents are coming, too.My grandparents will be there, too. Im excited to play hard for them. Thats part of it for me. I love playing hard for my family and my teammates. Im stoked.For a kid from Mississippi, where there is no NFL franchise to grow up claiming as your own, this moment carries some extra weight.Im from Mississippi. We dont have a professional team there, so for me to be here is pretty cool.Pretty cool might be underselling it.Bottom LineLuke Altmyer suddenly has a bigger opportunity in front of him.Teddy Bridgewaters departure has created more room for the rookie to work, and Detroit is going to get a much clearer look at what Altmyer can handle.He is learning from Jared Goff. He is absorbing lessons from a quarterback room full of former players. He is getting coached hard, taking every rep seriously and embracing the mistakes that come with being young.Now he gets to play.And judging by the way Altmyer talks about this opportunity, he has no intention of easing into it.He is ready to cut it loose.