It had already felt like a bit of a reach.
The Detroit Lions took quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tennessee despite already having an entrenched starter in Jared Goff. It was a pretty substantial price to pay for a guy who at best would be the backup QB.
It looks worse now.
The Lions released Hooker on Monday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
“HC Dan Campbell acknowledged that Hendon Hooker could use a fresh start and Detroit is granting that. Talented former 3rd-rounder will go on waivers first,” Schultz wrote on X.
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In the end, Hooker got into just three games with the Lions, all in 2024. He went 6-for-9 passing in that regular season action for 62 yards.
The Lions have opted to keep Kyle Allen as their backup QB for the 2025 season.
Hooker is likely to be picked up elsewhere. His combination of talent and draft pedigree is too good to go unnoticed on the waiver and free agent market.
But it ages as a brutal choice by the Lions.
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Third-round picks don’t always become stars, but they often turn into starters.
Because of Goff’s presence, Hooker was already a longshot to be a starter for the Lions. And the fact that his development went so poorly that he’s been cut after two seasons makes it all feel like an even bigger mistake.
The Lions are in good shape as a team. They can chase a Super Bowl. Allen is a passable backup.
It’s just a brutal outcome to see Hooker cut loose this quickly. It’s not supposed to work out like this for quarterbacks.
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