The Detroit Lions took Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 draft knowing, and acknowledging, his rookie season would be a “redshirt year” as he worked his way back from a torn ACL. Putting him on the active roster late in the season was a move made to allow him to keep practicing.
Through OTAs and now into training camp, one word has been prevalent regarding Hooker. Inconsistency. For every good play that has been chronicled, there have been reports of him holding the ball too long and throwing interceptions. The dislocated finger on his throwing hand he suffered on the first day of OTAs and is still working through now is surely a factor, but he has not yet taken hold of the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Jared Goff.
No Lions’ player has more spotlight on him for the preseason opener Thursday night than Hooker. He should play at least half the game, and get those all-important reps Dan Campbell has talked about.
Analyst raises interesting point about Hendon Hooker’s situation
Hooker, and rightfully so under his circumstance, is being given significant leeway to develop. Goff is not going anywhere as the Lions’ starting quarterback, as he’s under contract beyond Hooker’s rookie contract with the Lions now. So there isn’t a lot of urgency from the team’s side, even if having a backup quarterback you know can step in and play well is ideal.
On Thursday afternoon, Ryan Ermanni and Braylon Edwards of Woodward Sports discussed Hooker heading into the preseason opener. Edwards took an interesting angle on the young quarterback’s situation.
“By him being drafted here as not necessarily the replacement, more as an ‘if’… if he gets better, if Jared Goff doesn’t work out, if, if, if….he doesn’t have to have as much of a sense of urgency about learning the offense, getting on the field, getting it down pat, being ready to step up and take over. So that worries me, in a sense, if he hasn’t had that urgency…You’re starting to hear ‘well, he’s the most inconsistent player’, I think they go hand-in-hand. Because if I don’t think I’m gonna play….you drafted me when I was hurt, people asking ‘why am I here’?, I may not be as tapped in as I should be, which would lead to inconsistency. Could I be wrong on that?”
Edwards obviously could be very wrong on the point he brought up, and he seems to be questioning Hooker’s work ethic just a bit. But battling through a dislocated finger, for better or worse in term of performance, quickly diminishes that idea.
But it is a natural human tendency to see a whole situation, with no clear path to a future in a prominent role, and have that impact things for you. As a former college and pro wide receiver, that’s a perspective can Edwards provide to the Hooker situation. He surely saw teammates not put in the work they should have, driven by circumstance they saw as something of a no-win.
Hooker can answer a lot of questions with a good showing on Thursday night. It being his first NFL game action will give him some fresh leeway to struggle and avoid criticism. But better consistency, and starting to separate from Nate Sudfeld in the competition for the backup quarterback job, would be ideal.
