Sportsnaut
The Detroit Lions front office has an excellent history in the NFL Draft, landing players like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Alim McNeil, Kerby Joseph, Malcolm Rodriguez, Brian Branch and Sam LaPorta. However, it appears the franchise is ready to admit that it whiffed on quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Selected with the 68th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the same Lions’ draft class that produced Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, LaPorta and Branch, Hooker has failed to deliver on his potential. Coming off one of the worst performances across the league during the NFL preseason, his days in Detroit seem numbered.
Speaking to reporters after a 26-7 preseason loss to the Houston Texans, Lions head coach Dan Campbell admitted that Hooker might need a change of scenery.
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“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?”
Detroit Lions HC Dan Campbell following Hendon Hooker’s performance in the preseason finale
At one point, Campbell seemed to stop himself mid-sentence when he was about to say “I wish Hooker the best,” instead saying he wished the quartebrack had a better performance. With Kyle Allen solidifying himself as the Lions’ backup quarterback this season, it’s time to consider where Hooker could get a fresh start.
The Las Vegas Raiders just lost backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell to a fractured right wrist for the next two months. That puts the team in a position where Cam Miller, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, would be the No. 2 behind Geno Smith. Considering that Miller has completed just 50 percent of his 24 pass attempts this season, that’s probably not a gamble Las Vegas wants to make.
Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has a lot of experience at the collegiate level, which could aid in helping Miller transition into a new system. If Smith ever goes down—which is pretty unlikely—Las Vegas could be a run-oriented team that relies heavily on tight end Brock Bowers.
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It certainly would’ve been more ideal for Hendon Hooker if he could’ve landed with a new team ahead of training camp. Of course, Detroit wanted to give him one more summer to prove himself. If he has to transition to joining a new team, it makes sense to do so with a coaching staff with which he has some familiarity.
New York Jets‘ offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand served as Detroit’s passing game coordinator from 2022–24, and head coach Aaron Glenn knows what type of player Hooker can be in the locker room and quarterback room. There would be no pressure early,...
