Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell Suggests QB Hendon Hooker Might Need Change of Scenery

The Detroit Lions’ backup quarterback situation is set, and it doesn’t include Hendon Hooker.

Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed after Saturday’s preseason loss to the Texans that Kyle Allen has won the job behind Jared Goff. That leaves Hooker, entering his second year in the league, facing an uncertain future in Detroit.

“How much development do you believe there is? We’re talking about Hooker right now, how much development do you believe there still is? Sometimes, does the player need a change of scenery?”Campbell told reporters, raising questions about the 2023 third-round pick’s next step.

Hooker’s preseason numbers didn’t help his case in showing that he could perform on this team. Through four games, he threw for just 187 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns:

Vs. Chargers: 3-of-6 for 18 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
Vs. Falcons: 7-of-10 for 38 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
Vs. Dolphins: 6-of-13 for 61 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT
Vs. Texans: 6-of-11 for 70 yards, 0 TDs, 1 INT

Still, Campbell made it clear that Hooker wasn’t solely to blame. “I wish Hooker—and I know he does—would have had a better outing, but you’ve got to take it with a grain of salt,” Campbell said. “It’s not like he was playing with our first o-line out there, or first team skill position, all of that. You take that all into account as well. I thought he was prepared, I thought he was ready, looked pretty calm, and circumstances didn’t work out today, that’s all.”

The Lions have options however. They could release Hooker and hope he clears waivers to return on the practice squad. Or they could shop him in a trade to recoup value while moving forward with Allen as the clear No. 2 guy in Detroit.

Hooker has thrown just nine passes in the regular season since entering the league, a byproduct of Goff’s durability.

The veteran starter hasn’t missed a game in three years, dating back to his first season with the Lions playing 14 games that season. Keeping Detroit’s depth chart largely unchanged at the top.

Allen, meanwhile, brings the kind of experience Hooker lacks. The 7 year veteran has 31 career appearances and 19 starts across multiple teams, including the Panthers, Commanders, Texans, Bills and Steelers.

That leaves Hooker in a sort of limbo. A year after Detroit drafted him with hopes of long-term development, Campbell’s comments suggest a new chapter may be coming sooner than expected.

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