Former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker’s position with the Detroit Lions could be at risk.
The Tennessee Volunteers recently wrapped up another successful season under head coach Josh Heupel, making their first-ever college football playoff appearance. While the outcome wasn’t as hoped, it felt like a positive step forward for the program.
The Volunteers began their upward trajectory during the 2022 season, thanks in part to one of the most explosive offenses in college football.
A significant factor in that success was quarterback Hendon Hooker, whose efficiency in the passing game helped propel the team.
This performance led to Hooker being selected in the 3rd round of the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. However, recent reports suggest that his future with the franchise might now be uncertain.
Hooker has just completed his second season with the Lions.
Due to NFL veteran Teddy Bridgewater being relegated to the backup role and stepping in for Jared Goff when necessary, Hooker found himself third on the depth chart.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell offered insights on potential offseason moves for NFL teams and listed Hooker as a possible cut candidate.
“QB Hendon Hooker.
The Lions don’t have anyone on the roster with meaningful snaps who stands out as a likely cap casualty,” Barnwell wrote. “One potential candidate is 27-year-old Hooker, who has only thrown nine passes in two years.
It’s telling that the Lions signed a semi-retired Bridgewater late in the season and quickly moved him ahead of Hooker on the depth chart, which became significant when Jared Goff briefly left the playoff loss to the Commanders.
Hooker is owed just $1.3 million in unguaranteed money in 2025, but his inexperience makes him too unreliable as a backup, and his age makes him unlikely to be the quarterback of the future, especially after Goff’s extension last May.”
Hooker’s extensive football background put him in a position to potentially earn playing time at the pro level, but the Lions may not be the team where he finds it.
His age and limited professional experience are certainly disadvantages, yet the NFL is always in need of quarterbacks, and Hooker has shown that he is capable enough to secure a spot somewhere in the league.
