Getty Bleacher Report's NFL staff argued that head coach Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions should sign 3-time Super Bowl champion offensive lineman Marcus Cannon.
The Detroit Lions drafted Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker with the idea that he could one day take over as starter, but a second stellar season for Jared Goff could change those plans, a former NFL general manager says.
Writing for The Athletic, Randy Mueller noted that Goff’s “outstanding” season could lead the Lions to consider trading Hooker should they get a good offer. Mueller believes that a quarterback-needy team could take a chance on Hooker, handing the Lions a high draft pick in exchange for the highly touted prospect.
Time for Lions to Flip Rookie QB?
Mueller wrote that he has always been high on Hooker, who was drafted in the third round after tearing his ACL in his final season at Tennessee.
“Last year during my draft prep I saw a QB who, after a full evaluation, I felt was a possible NFL starter,” Mueller wrote. “Hendon Hooker from the University of Tennessee showed me arm talent, good athletic ability, an ability to process and NFL accuracy. He threw with enough timing and anticipation that I ranked him in my top five QBs for the 2023 NFL Draft.”
Other NFL executives have been high on Hooker, leading to some speculation that he could challenge Goff for the starting job as early as 2024, when Hooker was expected to be fully recovered from his torn ACL. But Mueller noted that Goff’s strong season could lead the Lions to consider trade offers instead.
“Jared Goff is having an outstanding year — so much so that they almost have to extend his contract at some point soon,” Mueller wrote. “To that end, if you’re a team that had similar thoughts as I did regarding Hooker and still have doubts about your QB of the future, why not make a call to Detroit?”
The Lions have already made it clear that Hooker is not part of the plans this season, with head coach Dan Campbell saying he will be taking a “red-shirt” season while he continues to rehab.
2023 will likely be a “redshirt” year for Detroit Lions QB Hendon Hooker, according to HC Dan Campbell
Hooker suffered a torn ACL, and the Lions want him to focus on getting healthy. Jared Goff is currently QB1.
Mueller wrote that if he were still an NFL general manager, he would consider making an offer the Lions would be hard-pressed to refuse — a second-round pick for a quarterback who has still never taken an NFL snap.
Jared Goff Remains Confident in Detroit
The Lions came into the season as favorites to win the division for the first time since 1993, and have lived up to the hype so far. They lead the division at 5-2, with Goff turning in one of the best seasons of his career to date. The 29-year-old is completing 68% of his passes for 1,902 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Though the Lions were outclassed in a 38-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on October 22, Goff remained confident in the team and believes they will work out the issues that arose in the game.
“We got our butts kicked a little bit, and yeah, it happens,” Goff said in an appearance on “Karsch and Anderson” show, via SI.com. “Unfortunately, it does happen. Fortunately for us, we can sit here at 5-2, and be able to get some things fixed and still have a great season ahead of us. But, yeah, not good on a lot of fronts, and certainly look inward at yourself and see where you can get better.”
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