Inside the Article:
Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, there was speculation that the Detroit Lions could select either Anthony Richardson or C.J. Stroud if they fell to No. 6, but as we now know, that was not the case. Instead, they waited until Round 3 to snag a quarterback as they landed Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee. Hooker, before getting injured, was considered by many to be a Top 10 pick at worst, but despite that, the Lions are not in a hurry to play him.
Key Points
- The Lions selected Hooker in Round 3
- The Lions are in no hurry to rush Hooker out onto the field.
- Jared Goff is the Lions' QB moving forward
Detroit Lions say there is no hurry to play Hendon Hooker
On Tuesday, Lions GM Brad Homes joined The Stoney & Jansen Show on 97.1 The Ticket and he spoke about how the team will be smart with Hooker.
“That's a great thing about Hendon and him falling into the situation he's in now,” Holmes said. “There's no pressure. He can get healthy. When he's ready to go out there, he'll be out there. We'll make sure that we're smart with how we kind of manage his rehab and his return to play, but again, it's just a guy who is really talented, has a lot of upside, and fits all the intangibles we're looking for in a Detroit Lion.”
Bottom Line: Hooker won't play until he is 100% ready
The hope is that Hooker will eventually be Jared Goff's backup, but the Lions are not going to rush things to make that happen, which is probably the wise move. As Holmes said, they believe in Hooker, but that does not mean that they will play him before he is ready. Hooker could not have gotten drafted into a better situation as the Lions have a starting QB that he can sit behind and learn.
