The Detroit Lions took a big swing four years ago, trading franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford in exchange for Jared Goff and a slew of draft picks.
Goff came to the team as a successful quarterback who already had one Super Bowl appearance under his belt, but it wasn’t until coming to Detroit that he finally put all of his physical traits together and solidified his spot as a starting quarterback.
Though the Lions are set at the top of their quarterback depth chart, the team appears to be preparing for a battle behind Goff this summer. The Lions used a third-round pick on Hendon Hooker in 2023, but he has failed to solidify the No. 2 job and faces a major challenge this summer from veteran Kyle Allen.
Lions Pitting Hendon Hooker and Kyle Allen in Camp
The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy broke down all of Detroit’s position groups after the NFL draft, releasing an initial depth chart. But he was unable to pinpoint whether Hooker or Allen would land the role of backing up Goff, noting that the team is preparing for a true quarterback competition in training camp.
“No, the Lions did not draft Shadeur Sanders,” Pouncy wrote. “They did add a quarterback this offseason, though. Expect a battle between Hooker and Allen for the QB2 job. The Lions wanted to add competition and found some in Allen, who has 19 career starts under his belt. Front office applying a bit of pressure here, hoping it pays off for Hooker.”
Allen has a much deeper NFL resume, having started 19 total games including 12 for the Carolina Panthers in 2019. He has completed 62.7% of his passes for 4,753 yards with 26 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in his career.
Hendon Hooker’s Rocky NFL Career
Hooker, the former Tennessee quarterback, didn’t see any action in his rookie season as he spent the majority of the year rehabbing a torn ACL that cut short his final college season. But Hooker failed to hold onto the job when given opportunities last season, watching the team sign veteran Teddy Bridgewater out of retirement late in the season then insert Bridgewater as No. 2 in the playoffs.
The team has been open about Hooker’s need to prove himself. General manager Brad Holmes said that while the team likes the third-year quarterback, he won’t have the backup job handed to him.
“Still got high hopes for [Hooker], but nobody’s gonna be given a job either,” Holmes said, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “So if Hendon wants to be the number two quarterback, then win the No. 2 quarterback job.”
Holmes admitted that Hooker has been dealt a difficult set of circumstances so far in his career.
“He had the injury that first year, then last year that was the first year that he kind of was able to do a full year of training camp and during the season,” Holmes said. “And then we brought Teddy Bridgewater in just because we were gearing up for the playoffs and postseason and he just wasn’t ready yet, you know? And he understood that.”
