Speculation began to run a bit wild at quarterback for the Detroit Lions when the team selected Tennessee signal caller Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.
While drafting Hooker in the third round signaled the Lions likely have high hopes for Hooker, it didn’t indicate that the team clearly views him as the organization’s obvious future behind center.
Muddying the waters even a bit further, Lions general manager Brad Holmes shared in the days following the draft that the team had begun contract negotiations with current quarterback Jared Goff.
But while appearing on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, head coach Dan Campbell clarified the team’s 2023 plan for Hooker.
“This is a redshirt year for him,” Campbell said. “He’s gotta get this leg right first, and then he’ll learn under Jared [Goff]. And then let’s see what happens.”
QB Hendon Hooker Recovering from ACL Tear
Even if the Lions needed Hooker to arrive at training camp ready to make an immediate impact, that obviously wouldn’t be realistic. That’s because Hooker is recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in November.
The good news, though, is Hooker is aiming to be ready before the regular season.
“I’m able to throw routes on air and stuff,” Hooker told The Athletic’s Jeff Howe at a promotion for Six Star Pro Nutrition’s partnership with Feeding America. “I’ll just be a non-active at first in terms of real competition. I’m just going to continue to heal, take it day by day.
“I’ll get cleared 100 percent by Sept. 1.”
Starting as a rookie quarterback in the NFL is hard enough. It’s nearly impossible to think a first-year signal caller will be ready to start Week 1 after not fully participating in training camp and the preseason.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising that Campbell views this fall as a “redshirt year” for Hooker.
As a senior, Hooker completed 69.6% of his passes for 3,135 yards and 27 touchdowns. He had just 2 interceptions and ran for another 5 scores.
Throughout his college career, Hooker averaged 9.5 yards per attempt and tossed 80 touchdowns versus 12 interceptions.
Lions’ Plan With Hooker
Howe wrote on April 25 that Hooker would “make sense for a team that might be transitioning” behind center by 2024. That, though, doesn’t appear to be Detroit’s plan.
“If he can eventually become your 2, or maybe, down the road, later on, it’s more than that,” Campbell said on the podcast. “But it’s going to be a long time.”
Despite the arrival of Hooker, Holmes said while a guest on “The Stoney & Jansen Show” on 97.1 The Ticket that the Lions have engaged in contract negotiations with Goff, who has started behind center in Detroit the past two seasons.
Goff experienced one of his best statistical seasons in his NFL career last year on his way to his third Pro Bowl.
“We’ve had dialogue there,” Holmes said. “We’ve had dialogue with his agent, and we’re in a good place right now.”
An extension for Goff probably isn’t going to be reached for a cheap price, so the Lions re-signing Goff would very likely mean Hooker remaining out of Detroit’s starting lineup for the foreseeable future.
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Dan Campbell Reveals Lions’ 2023 Plan for QB Hendon Hooker