The Detroit Lions have one of the best starting offense in football, spearheaded by scintillating quarterback Jared Goff, but this preseason has created some genuine doubts about how good this team is going to be should Goff need to miss some extended time with an injury.
The competition between Hendon Hooker, a Brad Holmes draft pick who hasn't shined in his limited action, and well-traveled veteran Kyle Allen for the backup quarterback job has been a race to the bottom so far. Things appear to be getting progressively worse as the preseason goes on.
Allen and Hooker combined for three interceptions in the Lions' loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in the preseason, and Hooker managed to keep up the rancid play against the Atlanta Falcons. Hooker fumbled twice in the first half, failing to lead the Lions to any points before being replaced by Allen.
The Lions' decision to not bring in a veteran quarterback to play ahead of Hooker could come back to bite them if they are forced to go away from Goff for an extended period.
Lions QB Hendon Hooker struggling in preseason again
Hooker struggling isn't a five-alarm fire, but it is very disheartening for a player who was ripping up defenses at both Virginia Tech and Tennessee in college. What stood out the most at both stops was his ability to reel off big plays without turning the ball over, as he threw just two interceptions in his final college season.
Hooker is an older player who will spend most of the 2025 season at 27 years old despite this being just his third season. Part of Hooker's alleged appeal was the fact that he wouldn't require as much developmental babysitting as younger, more toolsy players. Hooker appears to be regressing at this point.
To make matters worse, Allen managed to immediately one-up him when he entered the game. Allen connected with Jackson Meeks for a 68-yard bomb right before a shot at the end zone ended up as a touchdown for third-round rookie Isaac TeSlaa. Hooker's struggles have been magnified without Ben Johnson in place.
Hooker might be running out of road in Detroit, as he is failing to put away a well-traveled veteran who has proven to be incapable of holding down a solid long-term role. Another stinker in the preseason could lead to either a QB3 demotion or a release.
If the Lions had signed a proven veteran in the offseason (or just brought Teddy Bridgewater back), this wouldn't be such a concerning trend.
