The Detroit Lions are heading into their Thanksgiving matchup against the Chicago Bears in great position, with a sparkly 10-1 record. But, with plenty of injuries at the moment and the idea of prepping for down the road, they’re always keeping their eyes on ways to improve the squad.
Now, the Lions are being talked about as a possible landing spot for a just-released veteran quarterback, and head coach Dan Campbell is staying pretty hush-hush on the matter.
Dan Campbell Responds to Question on New Quarterback
Quarterback Daniel Jones and the New York Giants parted ways on Friday, and now, Jones is a single guy when it comes to football, looking for a new love.
During a press conference on Tuesday, November 26, Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked if he was considering bringing the ex-Giants signal caller on now that Jones is a free agent.
“We haven’t really talked about that,” Campbell said. “The name has come up, but it’s not like we’ve sat down and talked. So, I don’t want to give you a yes or no.”
So, Campbell was pretty noncommittal and tight-lipped on the matter. Sure, he didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no, either.
Campbell also talked about Hendon Hooker, the Lions’ backup quarterback to franchise quarterback Jared Goff.
“He’s progressed,” Campbell said when asked about Hooker’s improvement. “He’s progressed, which is — we’ve told him from day one, ‘We just need growth. We need you to grow every week.’ And we’ve given him opportunities in practice, good on good, to run our offense and, as much as we can, putting him under pressure, we’ve done that.”
He added that every player progresses at their own rate, but that Hooker “is growing.”
Some Like the Idea of Daniel Jones to the Detroit Lions
In a November 24 post on X, NFL insider and expert Jordan Schultz stated that Detroit is one of the teams expected to look into Jones, who would get “a chance to join a contending team, but also to develop in an offensive system where he can learn and grow.”
Also, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Jones would like to sign with a playoff contender, but that “potential destinations include the Baltimore Ravens and Minnesota Vikings.”
That doesn’t mean Detroit is out, though. In a November 24 feature for CBS Sports, Jonathan Jones states that a “source wondered if Detroit would be Jones’ best stop for the remainder of the year.”
“He’d sit behind Jared Goff but offer a better backup option than Hendon Hooker,” Jonathan noted. “Jones could learn under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who’s considered one of the most creative play-callers in the league today.”
Jonathan also makes the point that Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could be head coaches next season, and if they want Jones on their future team, this would give them a chance to get to know him.
Jack McKessy of USA Today sees some other teams more on Jones’ radar. In a September 24 feature, he noted that, “San Francisco may be in dire need of a stopgap quarterback as starter Brock Purdy deals with a shoulder injury.”
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Lions HC Dan Campbell Dodges New Quarterback Question